


Timaeus of Locri

by s2Teennovelist



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ancient Egypt/Atlantis AU, Ancient History, Arranged Marriage, Character Death, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Smut, Historical Accuracy, Historical Fantasy, M/M, Romance, Sharing a Bed, historical figures/original characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-10
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2018-02-04 02:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 60
Words: 251,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1763215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s2Teennovelist/pseuds/s2Teennovelist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caught up in events not of his own choosing, Yugi finds himself swept away from the only home and family he's ever known, with his heart and life in the hands of the mighty Kingdom of Atlantis' most fearsome and honorable General-Timaeus of Locri. Ancient Egypt/Atlantis AU TimaeusxYugi Knightshipping</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. CHapter I: Timaeus

**Author's Note:**

> DEDICATION: to only one person: Wings of the Valkyrie! This story started off as a dream I had and i pitched it to her for feedback and from there we started planning it out. She's helped me so much with this fic even when I thought about giving up on some awesome ideas, and she even betaed it for me! I love you girl! This story would've sucked so much without you!
> 
> Also shes written some pretty awesome Knight fics herself ;) i LOVE how she writes Timaeus if any of you are curious ;)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Characters all belong to Kazuki Takehashi and Koonnami (The ones who did the anime: Dartz and Timaeus are anime only characters), all historical characters are FICTIONAL versions of themselves and NOT based on fact. The temple of Amun is also a real place located in what is present day Luxor.
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questiosn and have fun, any and all flames must have a reason

Part One

Chapter I: Timaeus

1047 B.C.E

Waset

He'd heard the tales, seen it on countless maps, and paintings, but no replication could compare to the splendor or reality. And from the forecastle of the trireme's brow, he had the perfect view of its luster.

A magnificent golden bridge to a forgotten paradise on the edge of the world: nourished by the Nile, bordered by the unforgiving sea, and defended by an endless, barren desert. Glorious with temples and pyramids, the once great nation birthed a great procession of kings and priests, philosophers and astronomers, healers and artists: rivaling that of the great civilization of Atlantis. Now, it was a fractured land of scattered kingdoms and temple priests.

He'd never found confidence in religion, not until Locri, but their faith was based on devotion and divine loyalty. Not like Kemet's hem-netjer priests, who owned lands, held offices and controlled towns and ruled everything below the Delta in all but name. Waset: their capitol and The Great Temple of Amun: their palace—and his prize.

It was ironic really; while they slouched in a castle of golden sand, enjoying safety and security behind their temples and ships and gluttonous on the offerings to the Gods, the true rulers were all but exiled to Djanet. But when he succeeded today it would be Djanet, not Waset that would be the seat of the new Great House, Pasebakhaennuit, renamed Psusennes I, its King, and Atlantis, its new ally.

He grinned. His prize glittered in the rising sun across the sea-fed river: buildings made like sand castles bleached white, mocking purity, granite walls encircling the temple precinct in a huge, single square, a barrier and a trap, and the golden Great Temple of Amun at its heart, a series of great halls, towering statues and scattered buildings added and reshaped with each dynasty and each King.

By the time the Helios sun reached his zenith, the shores of the east Nile would be at the mercy of the Dragon riders. Not a single general leading a massive fleet, not even a fleet at all, but three massive ships: the hulls painted in sea turquoise, navy night and bloodied russet, their latten sails mimicking dragon wings, and the bow of each ship ornament with the fore body of their namesake, the final warning before conquest. Each one captained by one of the only three Generals loyal, powerful and fearsome enough to earn the coveted and respected title of Dragon Knight. Atlantis was taking no risks. The outcome would be entirely to their favor.

The priests were powerful, but land and wealth would not protect them from Atlantis' Dragon Generals. They were not warriors. The Temple of Amun had no army; its navy contained only the royal barracks. Another power center, certainly but unlike Waset itself and the priests who prayed to the Gods, its power was religious: cultural and influential. It was only in faith, and faith was a poor shield.

Under his King's command, and with Psusennes's blessing, it would soon belong to the supreme commander of the Atlantian Generals, the leader of the Dragon Knights and the Triserarch of the Eye of Timaeus.

Giddy pride, well-masked, rushed through him. He spun from the bow and descended to across the deck; flawless grace commanded the swagger in his step. Sebatons clicked in warning, and at his approach conversations stopped, all foolishness vanished, and any thoughts of play extinguished. Heplites retracted their shields. Thranities withdrew their swords. Soldiers who acted as crew paused their work, and someone rushed below deck to warn the rowers below.

By the time he reached the stern, not a single passenger was not on deck and when he made his appearance upon the dais, he met the proud sight of his soldiers all standing in military form watching, waiting for his orders.

He approached the stern's deck with commanding grace: flawless and unchallenged, his face a mask of cold indifference as he glared low at them. None of them moved. None of them dared look away. All standing in obedient attendance, erect and alert and hanging on his every word. All fully armored in the turquoise and black, colors of Atlantis' fiercest general.

Fearsome in both appearance and nature: his strength unmatched, his merciless gaze piercing even the cruelest of enemy hearts, and his honor inspired many a tale of bloodless victories and ruthlessly worded conquests.

"My Atlantian brothers," he bellowed, deep voice carrying through the air in a rich, prosperous baritone. "We have traveled far and sailed long." He strutted across the dais, the movements commanding and insolent but regal.

"But today," he stopped and spun to face them, mantle fluttering like the wings of a god behind him. "We set foot on the lands of our allies. Not as conquerors. Not slavers. But liberators." He stressed the word with a powerful shout. "From an unjust cult. From usurpers who seek to replace their King with one of their puppets. A puppet whose strings are held by those blinded by Lust. Greed and Pride." He punctured each word.

"Traitors!" someone shouted.

"Thieves!" shouted another. Before long, the ship was alive with angry rants and shouts, and threats of violence and punishment. Their commander frowned and withdrew his sword and slashed it across the air. It clanged against the metal of the stern with a loud, metallic sound echoing through the noise. Immediately, the men silenced, realizing their mistake. Adrenaline pumped their veins but in the promise of brawl and bloodlust of war, not their commander's vision.

The General's glare was harsh and unforgiving as stone. He stood tall and commanding. The heavy armor did little to conceal his herculean strength: a slender breastplate guarded a granite chest and iron gauntlets worn with the scars of many victories encased firm arms and powerful legs. He'd discarded his helmet revealing a face of harsh granite angles and chiseled with experience as well as the wisdom of age. Thick tresses of midnight with the darkest tints of blue swayed in the sea breeze like a crown of blazing black fire. A forelock of silver bolts mimicked the symbol of the sky Greek king. And his eyes—the very eyes that were the final sight of so many who's been paralyzed by their beauty. One was the sparkling emerald of the sea whose power he shared with the ocean herself blazed within them: harsh, indomitable and untamable but with dangerous calmness that any moment promises retaliation.

The other, a single slash, like the claw of some terrible beast that inspired countless rumors. Some say he'd survived a terrible fight, the opponent ranging from a savage beast to a wicked warlord. Others say he'd been touched by the very dragon whose title he shared and it was the dragon's claw that had left the mark. More fantastical souls believed he was the dragon itself for in the stories he'd lost his right eye in battle. But all were rumors and not even the Atlantian King himself knew of the scar's origin and it was a well-kept secret.

Sailors and soldiers alike looked on with fear and respect; his silence and disappointment louder and harsher than any biting words of disapproval.

"Liberators," he repeated at last. "Remember your honor, men. Remember the land you call home and the county you represent. You are her Pride and her Glory. Her Honor. Remember well your mission when you step on to the shores of battle. Remember what you have been taught, what I have taught you. Attack only soldiers. Subdue only. Kill only if necessary. Take the priests hostage, but do not kill them. Do not harm the peasant men; do not hurt the farmer, the elderly, or the sick. Let no harm befall the woman. Do not touch your hands to children. Defend, but kill only if you must: but know this," his voice lost all prosperous promise and was only a cold warning now. "If you murder the innocent man, if you rape the woman, or harm the child, kill the elderly for sport or the injured for pleasure, do so only if you plan to take a knife to your throat. Do not think in your blind pride to escape your commander's wrath or bribe his mercy. Dishonor is the worst of all crimes in any form. And no one is immune to punishment."

The warning was fierce and merciless but not a single soldier flinches. Their oath was made long ago. Their hearts pure and their respect too great.

"Because tomorrow," he rose his sword into the air. "We take the Great Temple of Waset!"

A roar of cheers echoed. Sword raised in promise. Their commander's name chanted like a prayer. "Timaeus! Timaeus! Timaeus!"

The smallest of smiles curled at his lips then he bellowed "Now back to your posts!" He barked, sharp and quick. "I want this ship docked and you ready to march in the hour!"

He needed ask twice.

He sheathed his sword and spun to the sound of clapping behind him.

"Good speech," the clapper complimented, arms crossed and golden eyes gleaming with pride. An emerald pendant was at his throat and a silver circlet of sovereignty rested on his brow. "A bit arousing for a simple retrieval mission, don't you think?"

Timaeus chuckled. "No mission is ever simple. They may not be warriors but the hem-netjer will not relinquish command without a fight."

The king threw his head back in hearty laughter. "No humor when it comes to battle, I see."

"Battle is not humorous." Timaeus responded in a clipped tone.

"Indeed," the king's pleased face became a frown as he descended the dais. The commander followed without question and entered the aftercastle; a high wooden construction roofed over three rooms and provided all over with narrow horizontal slits for minimal light. The first third of the structure opened into a meeting room: their battle plans mapped on the center table pinned with stone figurines and battle pieces. Two wooden doors branched into sleeping quarters: one the trirarch's the other the King's.

He hunched over the round table. His eyes scrutinizing the ocean map imprinted in the wood. The stone figurines marked specific locations -targets.

"My lord, Dartz?" Timaeus bowed, and took his position where three ship pieces formed an off triangle, one sea green, one deep blue and one rusted red, all bearing dragon heads.

He took the green piece with the skill of chess. It followed the slithering river down the map like outlining a large blue snake and stopped just to the left of a one-dimensional pattern of sand. A red marker dotted their prize.

"We will arrive on the shore within the hour. Critiaus is docked at Djanet," he moved the navy dragon head over a curved green triangle spider-webbed with rivers. "And Hamos," the red figurine remained immobile in the lonely blue sea. "Remains in the bay awaiting command."

"Very good," Dartz nodded pleased, but still scrutinizing each detail. He pointed to the east beach. "We dock on the shores here," he tapped the spot roughly with his finger. At this perspective it looked just outside the temple but in reality the distance was roughly one thousand feet. He traced the marching pattern as he spoke "You and your men make the march and you will reach the temple before noon and, as Psusennes confirmed, the annual flood has filled the canals. We will sail right up to the front gate. We'll cut off their escape and minimize time."

"You're certain?" Timaeus questioned evenly. His loyalties forbid him from disobeying his King's command, but he had no fear of questioning uncertainties.

And Dartz respected it.

He smiled. "You were smart to leave at dawn" Dartz said with pride. "Waset is not the delta: that has water and shade, but this is the open desert. They feel and know the full force of the sun, heat and sand. They are adapted to it. Do you really think Atlantian soldiers spoiled by ocean breezes and mountain rain, clad in heavy chains would fare well under the highest of noon? When the sun is at its fiercest and the heat is most brutal?"

Timaeus hadn't thought of that. As a Dragon Knight he was a seafarer and used to the fiercest of the sea storms: the razor winds sharper than daggers, the heavy rain pounding continuously like a never ending barrage of stones, the rough waves slamming into you like iron-fisted punches knocking air from your lungs and balance from your feet. By comparison, the hot sun seemed mild. His time on the Nile had been short, but he'd felt the weight of the heat at once. The humidity alone was so thick and stuffy it was like breathing soup. But here the air was dry but it seeped heat into his armor like thousands of slithering snakes and made his skin heavy.

With the high sun even more brutal even the most seasoned of soldiers would have trouble.

His brows widened and Dartz smiled when he finally understood.

"The best way to avoid the harsh sun is to beat it there."

"I see," Timaeus nodded. "You're sure separating the army is the best route? We've taken only one ship, and I only have a handful of men." He also wasn't too keen on leaving his beloved ship in anyone else's hands, even his King's.

"Yes," Darts said firmly. "As fine as your ship is, Timaeus, it boasts Atlantis. If the priests or even the common people see it approach they will assume the worst. They may flee below or even arrive. Our best hope is to avoid such attention and block the river."

"Without it they can either surrender or choose the desert. And they are too proud to choose the desert." Timaeus said confidently.

"Never underestimate human fear," Dartz said with more of a chuckle than a warning. "Psusennes was clear: we are to capture everyone alive and unspoiled. He won't have his reign begin with the slaughter of the High Priests and I'd rather not jeopardize our alliance because the priests chose the cowards way out."

"Understood," Timaeus stood straight and nodded. "My men were given the strictest of orders.

"Very good." Dartz's smile radiated cautious confidence. "Kemet has suffered through enough divide and invasion. She will never be whole until the red and black lands unite. Pinedjam's reign was the first step. He became King and his son High Priest. Now Amenisu is dead and Djenet has no King. The time for them to act is now. Ameninsu reminded them that their power is limited, but they've grown used to independence from the capital.

They won't relinquish power easily. Psusennes is King by blood and education. They know they cannot influence him. If he becomes King, he will condense their power to remind them who they serve. Their reign as kings is weakening and they sense it. They will not give it up without a fight.

"So, the rumors are true? They seek to put their puppet on the throne?" Timaeus asked brows knitted together.

Dartz shrugged. "We cannot be certain until we interrogate them, but Psusennes is confident their claim is weak."

"Good," Timaeus grinned and rose from the table. "It will make our victory that much cleaner."

Dartz raised an eyebrow, but his smile was impressed. "You're certain you can win this with little bloodshed?"

"I am," Timaeus nodded confidently. "My men are not simple minded soldiers who only care about murder and rape. They are proud warriors, strong fighters, experienced seamen and patient oathkeepers. They are loyal to no one but me, save you. They will not disobey. And those with less control will know too well the consequences if they do." His tone darkened with the last sentence, deepening with retribution but no malice.

"And what of those idiotic enough to try?" It was a rhetorical question but laced with the authority of judgment.

Timaeus stopped in the threshold. A smile slit his face, but his eyes were bright with merciless promise. "What I do to all those foolish enough to betray my trust."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Historical Note: This story takes place during the Third Intermediate period, following the death of Ramses XI. During this time, Egypt suffered a great deal of divide and invasion. The High Priests of Amun gained a significant amount of power and influence because a lot of priests and religious figures shared family ties with the Pharaohs. So long story short the Priests ruled the South (Upper Egypt, the desert from the Temple of Amun) and the Pharaohs ruled from Djanet (modern day Tanis) and ruled the Nile Delta aka Lower Egypt (the North). Pharaoh Smendes I founded the 21st dynasty after Ramses and was succedded by Pharaoh Pinedjam I in Upper Egypt (he was High Priest of Amun from 1070 to 1032 BCE, and became defacto ruler of Upper Egypt in 1054 and married a daughter of Ramses XI to unite the two, and was succeeded by his Son Maskaharta as High Priest) while Neferkare Amennisa ruled Lower Egypt, but his regin was short and he died in 1047 BCE. this story takes place in the year of his death and prior to the crowning of the new Pharaoh
> 
> Now a note on Atlantis: to make this story as accurate as possible I did a lot of research on Atlantis, specifically the book Timaeus of Locri, which not only inspired out fav dragon in the anime, but also gave Atlantis an actual location: Locri Italy. The theory is Atlantis sank 10,000 years go, but instead it was 10,000 years before Ancient Greece, but new sources believe the calculations were off and it was actually only 900 years before Ancient Greece that it sank, which makes much more sense. Granted this mean it would've sunk during Tut's reign but for the purpose of this story, it hasn't sunk yet.
> 
> Glossary
> 
> Waset-Modern Cairo
> 
> Djanet-Modern Tanis, made the royal capital by Psuenne I
> 
> hem-netjer-Ancient Egyptian Priests
> 
> Temple of Amun-Modern Luxor
> 
> trireme-a type of galley ship famous for its three sails, usually used as merchant and war ships. Atlantis ones are based on 17th-century Spanish trireme galleys
> 
> trirarch-Title for the Captain and acting commander of of a Trireme ship
> 
> Next Time: Chapter II: Ujalah We meet Yugi and follow him through a traditional morning for him at the Temple of Amun-and why he wants more than anything to escape it.


	2. Chapter II: Ujalah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I only own the plot! Yugioh and all its characters belong to Kazuki Takehashi and Koonami (since the Doma Arc is anime only), and Atlantis is loosely based on Plato's Timaeus, and the Atlantis accords that Plato got from Satron while in Egypt (further proof everything the Greeks did they got from Egypt)
> 
> Dedication: Always to my Beta Val who without this story would've never have made it to the computer! You re awesome girl! Also to BadBlackCatXV who got me into Knightshipping in the first place!
> 
> Historical Note at the bottom and as Always, read, write, review critique, comment, ask questions and theorize! Have fun!

_Chapter II: Ujalah_

He awoke while Nut was still arched over the land. The pearl light of her starlit outline pooled through the many stone slivers, casting purple shadows on the walls. Perfect for nights spent stargazing and days away from the stale, dusty air of the temple and the unbearable heat of the day. He'd chosen the open, airy room to rebel the claustrophobic feel of the cave-like dwellings and sacred rooms located deeper in the darker confines of the House of Life that the _hem-netjer_ preferred.

Outside the night faded from inky blue darkness to the brightening lavenders of dawn—a visible warning to hasten his movements. With a sharp inhale, he pulled up his foot and balanced it on the rim of his bed. His brows arched and his tongue stuck out in concentration. Anxious struggled fingers impatiently with the impossible straps. His toes wiggled rebelliously, displeased with the confines and longing for his simple, comfortable, leather sandals. With a growl that morphed into a cry of aggravation, Yugi ripped the shoe off and flung it across the room. It hit the wall with a papery smack and dropped with a flop. And the _hem-netjer_ expected him to wear these horrid monstrosities every day?

He didn't bother with the second and shoved it away. It, and the rest of his _gift_ : a heavy pleaded robe, slid off the bed and pooled to a pile on the floor. He sighed and hopped off the bed and smoothed the crinkles from his shenti and combed his sleep-tossed hair poorly with his fingers until it spiked up in its unusual shape. His toes wiggled brushing the polished sandstone with his toes. They would have to do for now. He'd wasted enough time. He slipped from his room with the sleekness of a prowling jungle cat, and raced through the shadows. He'd deal with the mess and the _hem-netjer_ 's scolding later.

The temple's shadows made Nut's cool touch even more chilling and he felt it nipping at his skin like countless, tiny bites, the rough sandstone felt surprisingly refreshing against his feet, despite the cold bites: still much more bearable than those ungodly uncomfortable papyrus sandals and those ridiculous heavy and hard robes the _hem-netjer_ "insisted" on.

 _Ank-menu_ was a massive complex: a giant's forest of rusted-red granite pillars and sandstone architraves depicting great victories of previous monarchs and miracles of beloved Gods. Located at the heart of Amun-Ra's precinct and with convenient access to the central court where Amun's primary image stood toweringly powerful and ever watchful on an active alabaster slab. Perfect for conducting rituals and placing morning sacrifices, it was an ideal choice for service. With the flood-fed canals of Sphinx Avenue brining boats from Waset just outside the enclosure wall, and countless long chambers and suites left empty in once dedication to Sobek and other lesser Gods, it served as the perfect makeshift palace. During the day, it was a labyrinth of shadows. At night, these same shadows danced and cast illusions of false hallways, and pretend exists, but Yugi knew better. It was another reason Yugi preferred the solar complex where his room was built.

He navigated the enclosed labyrinth of massive stones and tall columns with the skill of somebody well rehearsed in its tricks and the ease of one who'd mastered its secrets. After all, he'd been raised here.

As a child of a Singer of Amun, he'd lived all his life in the _Ipet-isut_ , specifically the House of Life of Amun-Ra and that of his consort, Muth-Sekhmet. And like all the divine servants, he lived in the temple. Previous generations of _hem-netjers_ had served the Gods faithfully and with the entire King's loyalty, but the death of Ramses XI had changed the Divine Servants of Amun's role. They had wasted no time refurnishing the spare rooms with rich lavishing and beeswax candles. They owned two-thirds of all the temples in Kemet, controlled its ships and ruled the red land in all but name. Position and power had made them spoiled and they toyed with their power the way children pretended to be soldiers—and for a brief moment, believed they were. In the past, Yugi had ignored them. His role in the House was limited, if at all. But following her death, he'd found himself the unwanted focus of their attention. His last protest had earned him confinement in the scribe rooms copying scribe texts, knowing full well it was his most hated job.

Yugi passed the central court where Amun's primary image stood like a watchful guardian. He quickly skitted past the Great Hypostyle Hall with a side glance only, and ran through the maze of granite statues chiseled in the likeness of previous kings, towering columns, sculptures of watchful Gods; complimentary obelisks bearing laws and messages of old. Once he breached the Osirian pillars flanking either side of the fourth pylon, a massive wall of sandstone blocks, he veered left to the adjacent first court.

Entering the open, airy desert, Yugi paused to squint. The pale pink and lavender of Amun's rising splashed across the sky, brightening the retreating darkness and filling the air with a damp, dewy smell. Yugi inhaled the morning with anticipation, stretching his arms and greeting the God of Dawn with a warm smile. It wouldn't be long now.

His sanctuary glittered in the pale red and yellow dawn just beyond the courtyard: the huge lake, small compared to the rest of the complex, shined with a soft lavender sheen in the morning light. Palms flocked the sides and the water was calm and quite like the surface of a lapis lazuli mirror. In his more imaginative moments, Yugi could almost believe it was solid and reach out to touch it. On special days, the _hem-netjer_ would bathe in the sacred waters: purification before beginning rituals. Yugi hiked along the shore past lesser temples and the engraved botanical garden of Thumoise III to the far side bordering the desert where palms and reeds had overgrown the banks.

Only he knew the sacred spring's secret now. He settled among the reeds and plopped comfortably on his stomach, watching Amun's birth through the far-off sand dunes. Colors splashed across the sky, banishing the darkness and the golden sphere of Amun-Ra rose over the capital city and the far enclosure wall, symbolizing his return from the Underworld and his triumph over the demon beast Apep, and Yugi watched it all in the reflection of the sacred spring. It was his favorite time of day.

For those few hours, Yugi actions and whereabouts were the least of the Amun servant's concerns. For that short span of time, there were no lectures on proper priestly behavior, no endless rules and countless training on the flawless procedure of rituals, or annoying advice on the importance of advisory, or hunching over stone tables copying scripture. For those precious few moments, Yugi was free.

He fidgeted his seat, waiting in a fit of anticipation: Amun's light drawing slowly towards the spring but only once it touched would the miracle start.

Slowly, dark shapes swayed beneath the surface. Yugi's heart quickened and anxious fingers clenched the reeds so tightly they pinched his fingers. He inhaled sharply then released a gasp of delight.

Deep blue pods swayed like cobras in the water. Slowly, they broke the surface of the water, creating tiny interlocking waves. Leaves and petals unfurled from the tear-shaped pods in a single, flowing spin. Luminous petals fanned open, boasting soft, beautiful blooms, an indigo so deep it put lapis lazuli to shame. Their golden heart sparkled in greeting to the Atum. Soon all the flowers were open, floating on the sacred pool's dark surface like an organic galaxy of stars against Nut's midnight. The magical dance complete: Yugi exhaled a breath and lied on his stomach, basking in the morning's warmth and enjoying their peaceful presence. His own lotus blue eyes wide and large sparkled with childish wonderment.

He'd lost count how many years he'd been in the Great Hose of Amun, but watching his favorite blue lotus rise from the depths of the pond each morning filled him with the same mystified wonder as it had that first morning when he was just a squirming toddler in his mother's lap. It had become their own secret morning ritual, as sacred to them as the _hem-netjer_ 's in their dutiful service to the Gods. Her death had only made its continuance that much more important. If he closed his eyes and remembered hard enough, he could clearly picture her sitting there: her long ebony hair, streaked with gold and adorned with a royal diadem. Her brown eyes, large and spaced wide, glittering with the gentleness of a deer against sandy gold skin-a keen intelligence glistened in them like sparks. Her face was a heart, completed with a smooth chin, high mobile cheeks and a generous mouth made for smiling. She was beautiful, and Yugi had inherited all of her beauty. All but her eyes: the deep, blue almost violet color of lotus blossoms. "That, my habibi," she'd told him since he was old enough to remember "Is yours alone, my Habibi Ujalah."

He picked himself up when he heard a rustle of wind, and saw shadows fall over the pool, and frolicked towards the open desert. Yugi left his hiding place and hurried inside. He came out a moment later carrying a reed basket under his arm and hurried back to the courtyard. At his arrival, lovely black and white ibises flocked at his feet, impatiently waiting for their breakfast. Yugi chuckled and took a handful of seeds but instead of throwing them down, he trailed them away from the spring and into the open desert of the courtyard. Quickly, Yugi molded handful of seeds into neat little piles, and the ibis attacked them in orderly fashion. Those unable to reach simply flocked to the next pile in Yugi's line until each one ate its fill. Those ill or too young to compete with their stronger, livelier flock mates, Yugi let feast directly from the basket. It took longer this way to feed them all, but Yugi doubted Thoth would appreciate his sacred beasts fighting liked jackals over scraps.

When the basket was empty he set it aside, and the Ibises examined it, curiously looking for anything else to munch on. Yugi left them to their play and lay upon the sand, watching his feathered companions walk and flap, squabble and screech and flock and fly independent of the precincts towering stone walls, admiring their outline against the sky where he could still make out the outline of Thoth's eye. He gazed beyond the pylons where another Avenue of sphinxes led to the precinct of Amun's consort with a smile of admiration. He imagined the vast open desert surrounding them both: its golden sand dunes, shaped by rough winds that promised freedom at the price of survival, and once again Yugi wished he had the courage to answer the call the ibises did without any doubt or hesitation.

The flock surrounded him: some took to the air; others waddled about, and a handful perched at his side. They stared at him with multiple emotions glistening in their intelligent eyes like tiny black stars and smiles forming on their crescent curved beaks. One straddled over to his side and curled against his hip, tucking its small head in its plumage to sleep. Yugi smiled and stroked the soft feathers: the creature cooed in pleasure, the sound soft and bird-like.

Of all of his chores, this was the only one Yugi loved. He'd helped his mother feed the birds each morning even though ibises were sacred to Thoth not Amun or Muth, but they called the valley their home, and that was enough for her.

"All the Gods are precious, habibi," she'd told him. "We must always show them our love and respect their presence when they reveal it to us."

And that was what he did. He'd grown up with his flock. Trust had been built, and he admired them with a mixture of envy and love. As much as Yugi enjoyed their company, a pain of jealousy clenched his heart whenever he watched them fly. _They_ were not bound by the enclosed wall Djanet. _They_ were not forced to remain in a singular place. _They_ were not confined to a dark, dank, crowded temple away from the sun, the water, the air, even the town. _They_ were not subjected to the orders and obligations of arrogant men. _They_ had the power to fly and begin somewhere new. They were free.

Yugi had no such luxury. An arm draped over his eyes blocking the heat, but he couldn't blame the sun for their sudden wetness. Yes, he'd spent years in the Precinct of Mut-Sekhmet under his mother and sister's tutelage learning the art of herbs, physicians and the magic to expel pestilence that made him more suited to the priesthood of Sekhmet rather than Amun. But no, Mut's precinct had been forbidden to him as well, though he never understood why the Divine Servants all but demanded he remain at the precinct after she died. As a Singer of Amun she had only a temporary role in the chief God's ritual and though he shared her love of music, hymn and song, Yugi never imagined he'd be destined for similar fate, even if the House's religious resident didn't think so.

A lone tear escaped his eyes. Yugi had never hated the precinct, not really, but the past weeks had grown incredibly lonely, his existence even more isolated and though it was gradual, his home had become his prison. He wished Muth was here. She'd been the one to hold him when his mother died. It had been she who stroked his hair, held his head in her lap and let him cling to her like a beloved security toy and cry when everyone else had all but ordered him to be strong. He wished she'd taken him with her, but the Divine Servants wouldn't let him accompany her to Djanet. _They_ had an entirely different destiny planned for him. One Yugi wanted no part in, but he knew better than to place his hope on wishes and dreams. Wishes would not buy his freedom. Dreams would not provide him the means to escape the expectations of temple life and its tedious chains.

He expelled a long sigh and tugged a lock of his wild hair. His fingers curiously twirled the pale gold tendrils. His forelock was an unruly arched lock of pale gold and unusual compared to his native ebony locks, despite the fact they spiked wildly, blazing in the breeze like black fire. It was only a matter of time now, he knew. His father had patted the soft tresses for hours when he was a child and despite her employment at the House, her mother never developed the heart to take a blade to them. As son of a Singer of Amun, however, he'd been lucky to avoid having it shaved, but after the servants confiscated his shawls and leather sandals, it was only a matter of time until Menkeperre demanded he conform. The thought filled him with dread until a bird brushed his side and chased the thought away.

Snuggling in the comforting acceptance of the ibis, Yugi laid back again, closed his eyes and, for once, allowed himself to be at peace.

"If I could wish for just one thing…" he breathed, pretending for that tiny moment that he wasn't a temple slave or surrounded by imprisoning walls. He was off in some sort of far off land, like a bird fluttering among exotic flowers, or a serpent coiling in between the refreshing cold and soothing heat of the Nile shore. Or even his beloved blue lotus making its morning descent towards the sun, breaking the surface of its watery crypt and unfurling its petals and basking in the freedom of the light.

"That is why I named you Ujalah", his mother had told him that first morning. "Because like the lotus reaches for the sun, you, Yugi, shine."

"I'd like to have something that is just…for me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hardest thing about this chapter and the Egyptian setting in general? The Kemet/Ancient Egyptian names! Curse my obsession with historical accuracy! I did a LOT of research on Karnak and the Precinct of Amun and was very selective of the places I needed and would describe because there is just SO much, so I stuck with what I needed.
> 
> Glossary:
> 
> hem-netjer-Ancient Egyptian Title for High Priests and priests in general; literally "servant of God"
> 
> Ank-menu-Festival Hall of Thutmose III; normally translated as "the most glorious of monuments", but "monument to living spirit" is an alternative translation
> 
> Ipet-isut-Literally "The Most Selected of Places", refers to the area around Karnak and the Precinct of Amun and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty
> 
> Ujalah-Kemetic/Ancient Egyptian, literally "shine" (usually a female name)
> 
> Habibi-kemetic/Ancient Egyptian form of endearment; literally, beloved; refers to either a lover or a family member
> 
> *Little note on Blue Lotus, or the Egyptian blue lotus is the sacred flower of Ancient Egypt, which sadly is extinct in the modern Nile Delta and grew along the east Nile but was also planted in Sacred Lakes for devotional purposes (specifically the Temples to Mut, since it was sacred and a symbol of Amun and the rising sun each morning). Contradictory to popular belief, the flower buds rise to the surface over a period of two to three days, and when ready, open at approximately 9–9:30 am and close about 3 pm. The flowers and buds do not rise above the water in the morning, nor do they submerge at night. I just has to add them ^^
> 
> NEXT TIME: The Priests of Amun-Ra send Yugi's least favorite person to fetch him and we get a deeper look at Yugi's life in the temple-and what has changed.


	3. Hostage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a late start this morning so this chapter is a little late ^^' Sorry about that. But here is the long awaited chapter 3!
> 
> I am so happy with the reception to this story! I was so pleased with all the favs and follows, though I was hoping for more REVIEW it got over 85 views according to my Stats so i'm not complaining!
> 
> Dedications: I completely forgot but I wanted to dedicate this story as a SUPER late birthday gift to my lovely hikari and good friend Tay: her request was for a Knightshipping fic with a cross-dressing Yugi, which i was more than happy to comply, especially since I was already doing one anyway ^^ Great minds think alike (or in this case a yaoi loving uke and seme have the same guilty pleasure ;))
> 
> Also special thanks and love as always to Val for all her help with second opinions when i was questioning my ideas; especially for this chapter (woo! was this one a bitch!)
> 
> As always read, review, comment, critique and have fun! and enjoy the historical notes at the bottom! I assume everyone enjoys them since i haven't heard any complaints ^^

_Chapter III: Hostage_

"Ujalah!" The word bellowed, harsh and angry, and the peace was shattered. Aggravated steps followed the sudden frightened fluttering of wings, and Yugi shot up, awakened by the frightened caws of dozens of screeching birds. He opened his eyes to the fury of swatting wings, raining black and white feathers. He shrieked and covered his face, the panicked feathered limbs nearly swatting his cheek. The flock relaxed and settled a few paces away, leaving Yugi alone with the interloper on the sand.

_Apep and all devils!_ Yugi swallowed a curse. _Why did they have to send him?_ He bit back an annoyed curse when the interloper approached in a heavy, goaded stomp, clearly just as annoyed as Yugi was, but far worse.

"Hem-netjer Siam," Yugi greeted with forced politeness, but his next words were drowned in false praise. "I am glad to see you well this rise."

Siam was unimpressed. He was a short man, stout and round and with a protruding middle that spiked disgustingly between the folds of his pleaded robe and shenti. Like all the hem-hem-netjer, he was hairless with a priestly headdress covering his bald head, and he carried his superiority like a badge of honor, though only he saw it as such. Of all the hem-netjer, hem, Divine and not alike, that flocked between the capital and Djanet's Great House of Amun, Siam was the only one that Yugi hated.

"Why are you not assisting in the morning ritual!?" He demanded in a slurpy tone, like Yugi's very existence was a bother.

Yugi's glare sharpened at the tone, firm and unafraid. "I _am_ performing my morning duties. To the God Thoth. Or at least, I was before you frightened his messengers with your unneeded stomping." He gestured to the flock still perched several paces away with the casual annoyance of explaining common knowledge. "As I do every day when Amin is born again."

Siam's meaty hands balled into fists, the heavy wrinkles and protruding lips curved into a brutish snarl. "Amun is our primary concern," he snapped, more angered that Yugi had spoken back at all then by the actual words. "And you'd do well to remember it!" Having never recovered from his dismissal in the Per-ah's service, Siam made it a habit of commanding every "lesser" hem-netjer, and temple hand he found. Yugi was no exception.

With a cool shrug, Yugi replied in casual irritation. "I'm _not_ a hem-netjer, to Amun or otherwise, and I have other duties to attend to when he rises."

A cruel smirk slit Siam's face. "Well then, perhaps if your…duties," he brushed off the word like it was dirt on his shenti, "are occupying too much of your time, perhaps I should speak to the Divine Servants of Amun. I'm certain they can find some lesser servant to lighten your burden."

"No!" Yugi said too quickly and was on his feet in an instant. Siam's smile was awful with triumph but Yugi ignored it. _I'll be damned to Ammut's belly before I let them take_ this _from me._ He declared boldly in his mind. He wouldn't give Siam the satisfaction of seeing him relent.

"Perhaps if you hurry, the Divine Servants won't scold you for missing the morning rituals," Siam chortled, his pendulous belly bouncing.

"I doubt the Divine Servants even noticed my absence," Yugi bit back his disgust. "You seem to be enjoying the temple's sacrifices well enough," he stared at the man's belly and grinned when Siam grimaced. "Tell me, do all of the hem-netjer share so hearty in the God's spoils?"

Siam spun around and struck his meaty palm across Yugi's cheek. The shock, rather than the force behind it, sent Yugi spinning to the ground. He barely touched the sand when Siam's thick fingers clamped around his thin forearm like a vice made of thick sausages and dragged him up. "I thought the hem-hem-netjer had beaten such insolence out of you by now," he snarled, twisting Yugi's arm at an awkward angle and dragged him towards the temple without mercy. "Insolent brat," the brute scolded in his true nature: mean and stupid. "Lounging around lazy and dirty in the sand and playing with filthy birds. What would Isetemken say?"

A single, frozen instant was all took for Yugi's rage to possess him. Fury consumed his hands and flew like a rabid bird attacking Siam's face with its claws and furious screams. Shocked and terrified, Siam screeched, releasing Yugi's arm and retreated like the coward he was. It wasn't enough to watch him cower. Yugi had ignored the slap, ignored the stupid rambling and could even ignore the bruising grip hurting his arm. But he could not ignore or forgive _that_. The way he had said it, like he had a claim to it. Like he had the _right_ to speak it!

Yugi's hand shot forward and gripped the short man by the neck of his tunic. All smugness and superiority gone from Siam's face, instead his eyes were wet, his mouth opened in voiceless plea, and his face scrunched in a groveling apology: he was a coward. A mean, stupid coward and he least of all had any claim to _her_ name.

"Never," Yugi snarled dangerously low. "Say the name of _Per-ah_ Pinejam's second royal wife in my presence again."

He dropped the man and fled to the hall, leaving Siam on the sand. He braced himself against Ramses' statue and gasped. His lungs constricted in shock, rage and despair and let himself sink to his knees. Amun's rays beat down heavily on his back causing his skin to burn. Wanting nothing more than to retreat to the shadowed, relative safety of his room, he forced himself to stand and dragged his feet.

Inside, the House was cool but chilled, and slowly, he dragged himself deeper into the depths of the tomb. The sanctuaries location mapped in his heart. The last thing he needed was Siam complaining about his antics—again.

X

The Divine Servants of Amun, the highest order of hem-hem-netjer, had already finished the sacred morning rituals by the time Yugi arrived. Lesser hem-netjer and House servants extinguished the flames, cleared away tools and incense and dancers brushed past Yugi, silently carrying the tool of their trade. Neither had seen Yugi enter the chamber, but the wet slap on his bare feet on the granite betrayed him.

They spun from the alter and their formally neutral expressions shifted into contrasts of each other.

"Ujalah," the female of the two purred with a curved smile. Short and round with a pudgy chest and the face of an aging girl, she looked nothing like a goddess. Standing on the dais, she stared down at Yugi, gleaming with the pride and mock authority her position commanded. "Good of you to join us. Pity the morning services are all concluded, but perhaps if you begin your vigils now, the Great God Amun will forgive you." Her voice was soft and playfully mocking, but with well concealed sinister.

Next to her, the Divine Servant wore a critical frown and hard eyes that betrayed no emotion. Though taller than Yugi, he was a short man with thick limbs and fragile hands but his harsh, unreadable gaze and stern posture commanded respect and obedience. Yugi did not shrink away.

At one time, Yugi knew them as Menk and Maat, and he was their Yugi, but such familiarities had ceased long ago. They were no longer even Menkheperre and Maatkare anymore. No, now they were the Highest Divine Servant of Amun and God's Wife of Amun: Divine Adoratrice. Names they'd christened in the tradition of previous powers, though Yugi suspected their true purpose was to mimic the divine rite bestowed upon _Per-ahs_ that were denied. Hem-hem-netjer of Amun had never been known for their humanity, least not the ones Yugi had met.

Menkheperre, as Yugi knew the Divine Servant, scrutinizing gaze summed Yugi's disheveled attire and bare feet and shook his head with disapproval. "You were sorely missed at worship this morning," he said without emotion but his scowling eyes spoke volumes.

Yugi mimicked his neutral mask and tone. "Forgive me." It wasn't an apology. "I was doing my chores."

"You were shirking your duties again!" Divine Adoratrice Maatkare cut him off and shot forward, her hard blue eyes burning black as pitch. With all of Menkheperre's power and pride but none of his control, the woman expected obedience like the common folk expected Amun to rise each day. "And what," she snarled in disgust, glaring heatedly at the flimsy shenti he'd slept in, his sand-dusted knees and arms, dirty fingers, and hair matted with ibis feathers. "Do you mean by showing up ragged as a common peasant?"

Yugi was unphased. "What did you expect Divine Adoratrice? When you confiscated all my clothes and shoes but what I wear now?" His voice was a snap and full of sarcasm.

"Do not be ungrateful," Menkheperre chided, stepping down from the dais, commanding even without its additional height. "We provided you with new, more _appropriate_ garments just last rise, did we not?" Though short in stature, his perfect posture and the fact he stood two hands taller than Yugi made him appear larger and thus more intimidating.

Only Yugi saw through the illusion.

"You should not have replaced them in the first place!" Fury laced his words and Yugi let all the raged and betrayal he'd felt bleed into his voice.

"You should feel honored!" Maatkare barked. The heavy beaded braids of her wig writhed about her face like corded ebony snakes and her eyes blazed like an uraeus about to spit fire. "Only we, the Great God's Divine Servants, are permitted to wear such finery!" she bragged but in her voice Yugi thought he heard a plea.

She'd given the same speech when Yugi had returned from a long day of scribary and found the sheep servants obediently stripping the room of his linen tunics, ox leather sandals and replacing them with "proper" House of Life attire. _You should feel honored_ she'd chided when he'd complained, but unlike last night, she'd added, so low it was almost a whisper. "Isetemkeb was."

Yugi blanched his face blank, and or a moment Maatkare looked like she'd regretted the words. Then Yugi's expression hardened: lotus eyes sharpened to Nut blue slits, his jaw clenched until his mouth was a row of angry teeth and his brows furrowed together in a single glaring line. " _She_ was _grateful_!" His voice dangerously low and laced with darkness—darkness and venom and barely concealed fury. "You dare speak of her!" His white knuckled hand shook, his shoulders a tense line. "She was _wab Sekhmet_ : and Divine Singer of Amun. She healed countless lives and touched even more hearts—including _Per-ah_ Pinedjem'a and Royal Wife Henuttawy's and she devoted her life to Kemet and its entire people. You have _no_ right to even speak her name! Not to me!" He couldn't stop himself from shaking if he wanted to.

"We loved her too Udjalah!" Maatkare shot forward and grabbed Yugi's arm. "Why do you think you are here? Why do you think you are trained as _wab Muth-Sekhment_? Why do you think we kept you safe when the others fled to Djanet?" she raged and pleaded.

"Let go of me!" Yugi demanded, pulling on his arm but she clung tightly to his arm with desperate nails, leaving crescent indents in the pale flesh. "Why do you think we make these decisions for you? It's to keep _you_ safe! Because we loved her and we love you! Do you not understand that?"

"That's a lie!" Yugi snapped, and wrenched at his arm but her grip was tight and desperate.

"Listen to her, Ujalah."Menkheperre marched forward.

"No!" He poured all his strength and grief into his arm and wrenched himself free. The force took Maatkare by surprise and she whirled forward, barely catching herself. Menkpheree caught her and glowered at Yugi who backed away, his glare blazing with harsh rage.

"That is enough!" He growled the command, his composure finally giving way to frustration. "You will do as you are told, Ujalah. We know what's best for you."

"What's best for me?" Yugi cut him off with an incredulous laugh and burlesque respect, hallways between shock and sarcasm. "Is that what you call confining me to my rooms, forcing me to do scribe work and hem-netjer chores, forbidding me from seeing my mother's sacred House and separating me from Past and Muth?" His eyes stung with unshed tears but he willed them not to fall.

"And you think Pasebakhaenniut and Muthedjmet will be different?" Menkheperre shot in a rhetoric laugh, his face contorted with betrayed rage and the fury of powerless love. "You think he will become _Per-Ah_ and come back for you? Like he _promised_?" He spat the word like it was a foul tasting poison. "You think the arrogant fool will honor his promises? Like Amenemnisu honored my ruling when he pardoned the rebels _I_ stopped?" He stomped towards Yugi, who took a cautious step back.

"No, Ujalah, we cannot count on the Per-Ah to help us," he said, soft and serious. "We cannot rely on Kings and dynasties. We have stayed hidden and suffered in their shadows for too long. It's time for us to act." The fierceness in his eyes and voice bordered on madness. Yugi shivered and retreated until his back hit the wall, and Menkheperre towered menacingly over him. He snatched a hand forward and grabbed Yugi's shoulder in a sharp tug and forced him to look at him. His eyes blazed with mad promises. A smile slit his face his tongue licked his upper lip, staring like Yugi was a prized beast he'd succeeded in trapping—and couldn't wait to show off.

"Don't you see, Yugi," Maatkare appeared at his side, her voice dangerously soft. "Once we chose the new _per-ah_ , we'll be free. You will have everything. We can _give_ you anything." Her promises were enthralling whispers, temptations of granted wishes and fulfilled dreams—for a price that would cost more than his soul. "All you have to do is obey us. Trust us and never question us again."

"Trust us, Ujalah," Menhkeperre echoed, concluding. "At best you'd only be their servant,"

They spoke in twisted tones: clipped with manipulated care and the softness of a hard master, telling him to be a "good boy"—and if he was, he wouldn't be beaten. Their victorious faces mocked him. They smiled at his silence-his fear.

Pouring all his courage, all his will, all his grief and rage and might into his next movement, Yugi wrenched his arm free with a shrieking "No!"

The refusal echoed off the limestone walls bouncing like the screech of thousands of scared birds taking to wing, and the force behind it was so strong it sent both Servant and Adoratrice whirling back in shock. Yugi didn't know how he reached the door, but with one final look he let all his anguish bleed into his voice: "I'd rather be Past and Muth's slave than your prize!"

He whirled around; leaving the shocked pair behind, but it wasn't the words that made them shake. He had said Past and Muth. It was a common mistake among close comrades and relations to forget titled and full names in public and private in favor of warmer familiarities. They'd done it all the time in their father's presence but he never made a notion of it. Only from Yugi did it have the power to cut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glossary 
> 
> Per-Ah-coptic, literally "The Great House" the title used for the King of Kemet aka Ancient Egypt, however, it was not used until the New Kingdom; the Greek version of the word is Pharaoh
> 
> Great Royal Wife-Since there is no word for Queen in the Coptic language, the official title of Queen was Great Royal Wife; signalling the woman's status as wife of the Pharaoh (and thus wife of a God), in Egypt even if the King has many wives the title Royal Wife was given to those with power and influence but there was only one Great Royal wife, who was usually mother of the King's Heir and acted as Queen Regent. As of the New Kingdom, the title also included God's Wife of Amun and the Royal Wife acted as Head of Religious and political power see God's Wife of Amun)
> 
> Waset-Coptic name for Thebes, (modern Cairo) Royal capital until the third intermediate period when it was shifter to Djanet (modern Tanis)
> 
> Apep-(Yugi used him in a curse so i figured I'd add it)-The enemy of Ra, and the Kemetic Orthadox (ancient egyptian faith) equivalent to the devil. He is the serpent, whale or water creature (water snakes in Egypt were associated with him because they were more dangerous and poisonous than land snakes and didn't eat rats) That lived in the primal waters of chaos and sought to restore the world to nothingness. He lived in the Underworld and each night attacked Ra's boat to try and swallow him but he was always defeated by Seth (contradictory to popular belief Seth was highly though of and was actually made into the Chief God during the 19th Dynasty, it wasn't until the greeks started associated the Egyptian Gods with their own that he was seen in a negative light)
> 
> House of Life-the Ancient Egyptian name for Temples to the Gods, usually simplified as "The House" (there was no word for temple, again that was a Greek association); The House of Life of Amun contains two main parts: the Precinct of Amun where most of the temples and additions were made, and the House of Mut or Mut-Sekhmet which is located through the south gate down an Avenue of Spinexes: Unlike Amun's temple it contains only one temple housing a Statue of Mut that is believed to envoke her Ka, and an enormous crescent-shaped Sacred lake. Her temple also houses dozens of Sekhmet statues because Sehkmet and Mut became associated as other halves of the other during the New Kingdom.
> 
> Divine Servant of Amun-The title associated with the High Priest of Amun's House of Life; and referred to the hem-netjer with the highest standing; other titles were First Prophet of Amun and hem netjer en tepy; Menhkeperre, son of Pinedjam I, held this office until he swore loyalty to Psusennes I
> 
> Divine Adoratrice-second title created for the High Priestess of Amun, and the second highest rank for a woman in the priesthood, second only to the title God's Wife of Amun (which was usually given to the Great Royal wife); the office was important because she was in charge of anointing (crowning) the next Pharoah, and was usually a daughter of the current Pharaoh taken on as a successor to the current one; title reach its peek of power during the Third intermediate period and Late Period. Sometimes coupled with title God's Wife of Amun; Maatkare, daughter of Pinedjam I, held both titles.
> 
> God's Wife of Amun-Title for the Highest ranking priestess of Amun and later given to the Great Royal Wife during the New Kingdom and Third Intermediate period when Amun's cult was at its peek, where it reached full religious and political , the office was for the King's Daughter who was to remain an unmarried virgin in order to remain in Royal succession and would adopt a daughter of the King to succeed her. This practice was transferred to the Divine Adoratrice and the position of God's Wife was then given to the Great Royal Wife to symbolize her status and power, both political and religious as second to the Per-Ah. Maatkare held this title until it was lost of Muthenjky, wife of Psusennes I
> 
> Historical Note: Before Psuenne was official Pharaoh of all, by Neferkare Amenemnisu. Now his reign was short, so there isn't much on him, but the one thing that stood out was during his reign he pardoned the leaders of a rebellion against the High Priest's authority during the 25th year of his predecessor's reign. Now some sources say it was Menkheperre who pardoned the rebel leaders, other say he was the one who stopped the rebellion and Amenemnisu was the one who pardones the leaders (they'd previously been exiled), more sources went with Amenemnisu being the pardoner so for the sake of this story i went with that and it gave him a reason to not trust the Pharaohs.
> 
> Next Time: Timaeus learns the true reason Dartz requested him for this mission and Yugi comtemplates his future, and makes an important decision.


	4. Flight

_Chapter IV Flight_

The galleon docked with a rough jerk: the bow collided with the Nile's bank and imbedded in the wet sand. The stop was so forceful even the most experienced sea hands lost their balance. But there was no time for rest.

With the authority of a hard master, Timaeus ordered the entire fleet armored and ready to march. The entire brigade was on the sands awaiting orders in a matter of minutes and anyone caught staggering felt the bite of his furious tongue. Among themselves mistakes could be made, even funny ones, but Timaeus commanded perfection and demanded nothing less than the strictest discipline. No one dared follow once he descended the plank, or even humor the possibility of arriving late and sneaking in among the barracks. It was ridiculous to arrive looking anything less than pristine, and idiotic to hide a snicker or even a hint of humor. When it came to his men, Timaeus expected only soldiers. No one escaped the hunter of his gaze and Timaeus missed nothing.

He descended with heavy, graceful steps. His helm was absent, revealing the flames of his hair and the sharpness of his face defined in full glory. The curve of his lips slit into a smile but it was an uneasy smile, blaring confidence and pride that at any moment could shift to barbed annoyance, or the gritted roar of a dragon's fury. His eyebrows furrowed in command and his single emerald eye blazed with a fire his blind one only illuminated. It promised words and glory but warned of strict protocol and the punishment of ignorance.

"Soldiers," his voice boomed. He was no longer their comrade, no longer the fierce Dragon Knight who inspired legends and rumors. No, he was their Trierarch. He was their General and they were only solders.

"We march on the temple of the Sun God," he announced in a flat tone that silenced all cheering. "Remember your mission." He stopped and spun. The fire in his emerald eye blazed with command while his blind side stressed obedience. "We are sent here not as invaders, not as conquerors, not as slavers but rescuers: we are here to find and capture the priests of the temple only. Draw your weapon only if they draw theirs, attack only if they attack you first, but you are to disarm, not fight. You are to restrain and capture not kill, and you are not to lay sword nor hand on any servant, any temple attendant, nor any innocent. We are to capture the priests and their servants with no bloodshed. We are not to harm any brought under our service. We are Locrian Soldiers. We are dragons of Atlantis and our King has allied himself with the new Pharaoh, and we honor that contract by obeying his will. Our King has ordered us to capture the High Priests and escort them and their allies back to Djanet: alive and _un_ touched, and now I am giving you that same command. Obey it as you would obey me, honor it as you honor your King, and never forget the vow you've taken, the oaths you've made, and _never_ ". The words turned harsh and cold, prickling like icy spears, the coldness all the more deadly in the desert. " _Never_ forget the worst crime of all is dishonor. Dishonor yourself and you dishonor your king, and your country and it is a sin _I_ will not forgive." He paused, allowing the warning to sink.

Some shrank away: their fear enforcing their obedience. Others bore the accusation and met it with respect and understanding. Some grumbled their displeasure: the long months at sea had pumped their blood with adrenaline and a lust only blood could quench but none could fight Timeaus and leave without scars for their arrogance. Scars many of them still wore. Timaeus kept his mask but internally allowed himself to smile. _Good,_ he thought. _As long as they obey_.

"Go!" he barked, low and harsh. "March!" With a wave of his hand they were off, punctual under their general's scrutinizing gaze.

"You're insistent on leading the men yourself then, General?" Dartz asked from the ship.

Timaeus didn't turn around. "They are _my_ men, Majesty. They are loyal to Locri and Atlantis, but they will obey only my orders."

"Your sense of honor never ceases to amaze me." Dartz congratulated with pride. He stepped off the ship to Timaeus' surprise. Had he changed his mind about the plan? Timaeus had been reluctant to leave his ship's command in anyone but his own, even his King's, but he refused to send his troops into battled led by anyone but himself.

Instead, Dartz stopped next to him, his gaze focused forward: watching, calculating, but his words were a secret whisper. "It's why I have a special mission for you." The King explained not once looking at him.

The General understood at once and continued watching his men. "And what mission is that?" he whispered.

"There's another reason Psusennes requested our aid and it has nothing to do with his fear of the High Priests. When his sister left the temple, they were forced to leave someone behind. A boy, just barely a man from what I understand. They call him Yugi."

"Yugi?" Timaeus gapped at the unusual name. It certainly wasn't Coptic or sounded like any other language he recognized. Was it a childhood name of sorts? A Wet name perhaps? "That is an unusual name for Kemet."

"Indeed," Dartz agreed, but did not turn. "His mother was a Singer of Amun. He's trained as a Priest of Mut-Sekhmet at Amun's sister temple, but the boy is not a priest himself. Yet when Muthedjmet tried to take him with her to Djanet they denied the request against both their wills. Now why do you think that is?"

Timaeus forced away surprise when the keys clicked into place. "You think the High Priest and Priestess are using him as a hostage."

"Precisely," Dartz gave the smallest of nods."He is their father's youngest child and the only child by his second wife, a beloved woman by the family. Even his Great Royal Wife held a place in her heart for her. It is not difficult to see why the High Priest would see use of him. Even if they cannot stop Psusennes from becoming Pharaoh, they _can_ …" he paused to find the right word. " _Negotiate_ their role in the deserts affairs a little more vocally."

"Using their own blood as a bargaining chip." No amount of reserve or training could conceal the venom boiling on Timaeus face. "Disgraceful," he hissed low with disgust and dangerous with rage.

"Indeed," Dartz's face was set in a hard frown. "Only you know of him, Timaeus. I need you to find Yugi and bring him to the ship as soon as it docks on the shore. It is crucial we separate the boy from the priests as soon as possible. From what Psusennes and his lady describe he despises them, and has already guessed their motives, but the priests have never been known to surrender easily. Again, Timaeus, only _you_ know of him and you _must_ find him and bring him to the ship. Explanations can be done later. Securing his safety is our priority." Dartz shook as he spoke, his words fractured with urgency.

Timeaus let all his reassurance and honor fill his voice like a soothing touch. "I understand." He nodded and smiled when he sensed his King relax. "How will I identify Yugi?"

"His real name is Ujalah," Dartz began with a touch more relaxation. "He is of age but appears young, and you will know him best." Dartz gave a chuckle. "From how Psusennes describes him, he has hair like yours, but the colors are black, the bangs gold, and he has lotus blue eyes."

"Lotus blue?" Timaeus' brow arched.

"Violet, I believe is the closest color. He is the only one who has them."

"Very well," Timaeus nodded and stepped down the plank. He tried to keep his focus on the task ahead, but curiosity conquered fresh images in his mind. A boy with hair shaped similar to his, and violet eyes? What would he look like? Surely not the intimidating warrior of himself. A Singer's child, so of course, lovely, and a royal child as well, so naturally he must share some of Psusennes and his wife's traits. He closed his eyes: his imagination arranging and rearranging pieces and bits of faces like an incomplete puzzle that formed a face, but none seemed accurate.

"Oh and Timaeus," The almost juvenile humor in Dartz tone, like a child with a secret, stopped him. His thoughts discarded, Timaeus looked over his shoulder, waiting.

"Lady Muthendjinet also tells me the boy has a fierce personality: in fact they say he is Mut-Sekhmet reborn, as his mother was. And he _will_ fight you when you meet him. I trust that won't be a problem?"

Timaeus' brows rose high, a look of puzzled curiosity crossed his face. He knew little of the Kemetic myths but all knew of Sekhmet: the fearless and terrifying lioness goddess who unified with the divine mother and became consort of the Sun and embodied her husband's wrath. She was also a ferocious protector and slayer of demons, but as gentle and loving as a mother with her cubs. Timaeus pondered the new information; a lovely boy of royal blood with a loving heart but who was also a spitfire?

"Not at all my king." He finally said and marched across the sands to join his men. An intrigued smile slit his face. "Not at all."

X

He ran until his feet burned. Through the labyrinth of the Hypostyle Hall, past the domineering walls of pylons and colossus statues of past kings and the scrutinizing eyes of Gods. Servants fled from his path, lesser hem-netjer called his name, but Yugi ignored their concern and curious questions.

His heart beat desperately against the bars of his ribs until its wings were bloody like a savage beast in a cage. His arms pumped at his sides propelling his body forward. His feet burned like every step was on shards of broken pottery. His body ached, his lungs burned and words escaped his throat in heavy breathless wheezing. A face full of strong light almost blinded him when he entered the forecourt and found himself dwarfed by the watchful gaze of lion-bodied sphinx donning the heads of rams and past kings.

He didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not when he had finally taken flight. Not now that he'd past the monstrous walls that had become his prison. Once, the domineering structures had been grand accomplishments depicting the triumphs of his ancestors. Now, the massive walls of sandstone reminded him of impenetrable bars; a permanent domineering reminder that he was a captive. That his fate was no longer his own.

With the heat and wind of the desert on his face and Ra's light on his back, he ran through the forecourt until the gapped wall faded became a distant mirage. The long imprisonment he'd felt since Muth's departure became a faded memory he could almost pretend wasn't real.

His legs finally gave out and his heart burst. He collapsed outside the final pylon and braced himself in a shadow of stone and allowed himself to just lie there. Lungs dry and throat parched his breathing raspy and heavy, he couldn't even pause without chocking on air. The scorching sand burned and scrapped his palms and legs and yet he felt invigorated. The wall behind him stood solitary and disappointed: its power lost.

Free. Yugi's heart fluttered slightly, like a baby bird testing flight for the first time. Was he free? Could he be free? How long would it last? Surely the Divine Servants would send the hem-netjer to fetch him soon and begin the cycle over again.

Unless he ran.

It was ridiculous to think and idiotic to consider. On the wrong side of the Nile and isolated by the desert, the House of Life of Amun was a literal and symbolic paradise. A single oasis among an endless stretch of barren wasteland: scorching sun stronger than all Kemet, tiny blades of sand coarse enough to tear flesh from bones in a sandstorm. Like Amun-Ra's divinity rising from the primeval sea of chaos. Even if he survived, the massive salt water sea barricaded the land from invaders. Hiking up the Nile would be just as pointless: it'd be weeks before he reached the Delta—if the hot sun, river crocodiles, and desert cats didn't kill him before dehydration and hunger did. The only possible hope was Waset.

The royal capital stood mockingly on the other side of the river but the annual flood had filled the canals creating a clear path from the temple to the capital. The hem-netjer would never find him there. He could lose them among the streets and get an apprenticeship or a job as a healer, even perform on the streets as a dancer. His mother had taught him plenty. He could survive, perhaps even stowaway on a ship headed north and bribe the captain to drop him off at Djanet. Waset meant freedom, hope, choices: everything he'd ever wanted—at the cost of swimming across the crocodile invested waters of the Nile if the impossibly strong current didn't sweep him out to sea. And with the recent ankh flood, its shadows more profound, creating the perfect hunting ground for river monsters.

It was impossible to accomplish. Foolish to even consider and suicidal to risk. Yet, as he pushed himself to his knees and stood on wobbly legs that found their strength, the risks seemed tempting.

Even now, the scorching sand and fierce sun, the dry sheltering wind, its own mixture of desert heat and chilled Nile air, ripped away the countless layers of expectation and obedience heaped upon his iron-will like heavy chains.

"Free?" he questioned, testing the word on his tongue. It felt foreign and strange. An aspect that didn't really exist. "Free." He said it again and this time his heart fluttered. "Free," he said the word again like he could claim it. "Free!" A determined dream on the verge of becoming an actuality.

Waset stood proud and welcoming on the far shore. The precinct's once intimidating walls and its vicious shouts, nothing more than the fading of a forgotten nightmare.

He could do it, he realized, runaway and leave. Mut-Sekhmet's precinct was only a short run away. He could wait until the sacred barks sailed up the canal bringing the Singers of Amun for their next assignment. He could sneak onto the boat, or dye his hair and hide among them. No one would suspect him. Or he might not even have to wait that long. Food and offerings were brought every day: it'd be easy to hide his hair, veil his face and slip in with the servants. The hem-netjer would be so busy looking for him among the massive complex: it would take them days to search everywhere, let alone all the nooks and crannies he'd memorized from games of hide and seek as a child. His tutors had wasted hours looking for him, and he'd only been a child then. Outwitting them now would be child's play. Possibilities swam in his brain. Schemes with no hope of failure calculated and sorted replaced by another if the current one had even a single fault.

He could do it and it would be easy. He could do it.

Knees buckled weekly, legs quickening like wet papyrus, his heart hammered with a terrible feeling and suddenly he was overcome by a nameless dread.

He _could_ have done it. He _could_ have escaped his captures long ago and started a new life. Yet here he was, alone on the sphinx canal shore just outside Kemet's most sacred House of Life. And as difficult as the Divine Servants had made the last few months with their strict rules, controlling schedules and outrageous demands: it was still his home.

His father had lived and ruled there: had made great accomplishments and commanded vast legions. It was where he'd lived with his wife and children and raised Yugi's siblings, blessing them in the divinity of the Gods and delighting their dreams with stories of the histories inscribed there. It was where his father had met his mother. Where she'd trained as a hem-netjer of Sekhmet, healed the sick, and delighted the Gods with her golden voice and skilled lyre strings. Where Yugi had been a toddler and his mother delighted him for hours by dancing and singing songs and letting him shake menat beads and bangs sistrums. He'd laughed for hours at the fascinating sounds. Where he and his siblings had spent the hottest afternoons splashing and swimming in the sacred spring and where he and his mother would watch the lotus rise from the waters. And his father would seat him in his lap like his own personal throne and for those delightful moments he'd felt like a _Per-Ah_ too. His father, while playing with his tresses would always say the Gods had even grown him a crown. And Pase joked that they could be _Per-Ah_ s together.

But there were sad times too. When his father had left and his mother's patients didn't survive. Two had been Menkeperre's predecessors, and his older brothers. Yugi wondered if Hetthunway had ever truly forgiven Isetemkheb for being unable to save them. There had been spats and fights among them as well. He remembered once when Menkeperre had refused to speak to him because he preferred the senat game Pase had given him rather than the scribe tools he had. Back when Yugi was a child and wanted to play all day instead of study. Or when he'd swiped a pomegranate from the offering table as a mischievous and hungry six-summer babe and Maatkare had scolded him to tears. Only for Muth to strike her proud sister for being so harsh with one so young and ignorant. Yugi never stole from the table again, but only because Muth explained they were gifts for the Gods and they'd be upset if Yugi took them, just as he'd be if she had taken his toys. Maatkare had never forgiven her sister for that, but it wasn't because of the slap; they'd been family. There was love among the walls and even when he'd left to accompany his mother or join his father and brother: he'd always been excited to come home.

 _Home_. This place had been _home_. When had it become a prison? When had those loving memories etched into stone and water become impenetrable bars and tedious chains? When had it ceased being a paradise to escape _to_ and become a cold empty fortress to escape _from_?

He knew. Even if he chose not to admit it, he knew even as his legs crumbled and he sank to his knees in the shadow of a colossus statue. His arm and shoulder braced against a huge stone slab supporting its base. The rough sandstone felt warm and smooth beneath his cheek. The Nile's warm current blew through his bangs and he could almost imagine familiar figures massaging his scalp. He turned to the statue, knowing the face even with the skull too high and directly in the Amun-Ra's brightness to see clearly. He stood tall and powerful: his jaw strong, his eyes sharp, his nose curt and full lips carved into a neutral line. Firm arms chiseled in to perfect, smooth muscles folded across his chest: a flail in one strong hand, an Osiris staff in the other. Broad stone shoulders outlined a powerfully built chest tapering to masculine hips. His legs were long and powerful. He was naked save for a Nemes crown of sovereignty adorning his brow and a permanently styled shenti. Not a man, not a _Per-Ah_ , but a God immortalized in stone, Pinedjam I looked every inch the indomitable Divine Servant of Amun and the commanding ruler of the desert he'd been in life. But the eyes were cold, the smile bland and the hands solitary: it was a mere shadow of the man behind the God. The brave, loyal, loving man Yugi had known and loved.

"Papa." He chocked and crumbled. His upper half draped weakly at his father's feet. His cheeks pinched and hot tears pricked his eyes before overflowing and rolling down his cheeks in hot streams. "Mama." His body wracked with heavy sobs and he did nothing to hold them back. He hugged the slab. Weak fingers clenched the engraving of her name and two others beneath Pinedjam's cartouche. His weak arms were the only thing keeping him up. When they could no longer hold him, he let his body slide to the ground. He lied against the slab, crying loudly and brokenly, and with no regard for who saw him.

He hadn't cried when she died. Not when she'd been smiling so strongly despite her pain and stroking his cheek with her fragile fingers. They'd called it irony: that the incarnation of Sekhmet-Mut, herself, could not chase away her own demon of pestilence. Except, it wasn't a demon or disease that afflicted her. No, it was her heart that killed her. And it was its unwillingness to repair when Pinedjam died. He'd cried then, alone and broken when they'd transported her body to the burial chamber of the _Per-Ah_. And he did so now.

Except now he didn't have Muth's loving embrace to dry his tears or Pase' reassuring smile and comforting arms, or even his mother's final warning that he'd always be safe and loved with his siblings. Menkeperre and Maatkare would never be the Menk and Maat he adored as a child. Pase and Muth would never return from Djanet, the exiled capital of the marsh. The family they once were would never cease its perpetual split.

No, Amun's House of Life was no longer home, and it never would be again. But would Waset be any better?

He rolled over and pressed his bare back against the warm, rough slab. His feet sprawled beneath him. He stared at the white city fading like ripples in the wave of heat, so close he could walk to it. Inviting, mocking like a mirage just before it disappeared and fate had a good laugh. Between them, the Nile rose and fell, waves roughened with the annual flood. Even the canal tossed and rolled sea foam upon the sands as dangerous as the ocean. It was a formidable force during the driest of Kemet's summers, but just after the flood…he'd never survive the swim.

But if he could just board a ship…find a way to travel North to the Delta, to Djanet to Pase and Muth.

Was it worth the risk?

He closed his eyes and stood up, walking to the edge of the forecourt. His options weighed against the other like the heart against Ma'at's feather on the scales of Anubis. Possibilities and scenarios categorized against the faults and flaws. Then his mind erased them both and his heart and mind had their answer. Yugi opened his eyes and exhaled and with the movement, he expelled all his doubts and fears. His decision made, he turned to take those final steps and into a new freedom, a freedom that could only come from making a decision _he_ chose.

A shadow appeared out the corner of his eye when he turned. At first, it was so faint, Yugi thought it no more than a trick of the heat, but his curiosity was unsatisfied with the brushed off answer. He narrowed his eyes and old a hand to block the sun.

It rolled across the desert: a narrow, horizontal shape like a low-riding hill wigging in a heat wave but it was too straight, and appeared…bigger?

Yugi squinted harder, trying to read shapes through the heat, but all he could make out was a single, large line. But now he could see it was the color of the Nile and light bounced off it, reflective and temporary blinding. Suddenly, another shape rolled into view: floating across the Nile like a low cloud, but the shape was triangular like a massive white, one-dimensional pyramid. It caught Yugi's attention and immediately he recognized they were sails.

His heart leapt into his chest. Was it a supply ship? But why was it coming from the north rather than across from Waset? Had Pase and Muth returned for him after all? Hope fluttered in his chest, but present experience warned him against rash joy. Apprehension reminded him to be cautious and his sharp eyes quickly saw why.

Its sails were too large and triangular, its neck large and bulky and rising foredeck was too thick to be the long, slender galleys of the royal barks. This wasn't a royal ship. Or even a Kemetic ship.

Sharp eyes caught the seal on the flag and Yugi's heart dropped to his stomach like a stone in a well. Breath froze in his throat. Shock and terror rooted his feet to the ground like his body was made of stone.

He recognized that crest. The _world_ knew that crest: the ferocious single-eyed dragon the color of the sea with a sword in its mouth against an Atlantis blue background _._ Only the Dragon Knights of Atlantis, the King's most strategic and ruthlessly loyal Generals carried a dragon as their symbol, but only one bore a green dragon with a single-scared eye: Timaeus of Locri, the fiercest and most powerful Dragon Knight in Atlantis.

 _Now,_ Yugi recognized the purpose of the ships. _Now_ he understood what the land shape was and why it was growing bigger, no, not bigger, _closer_ , and _who_ exactly was leading it. Bile rose in Yugi's throat: his heart ceased to beat, seized by horror and fear, and his entire body shook with shocked despair. Timaeus of Locri: the worst of Atlantis' generals was leading his army right to the capital of Kemet's House of Life.

Atlantis was invading Egypt.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, I ended it there ^^
> 
> Tim's back! I gotta say i LOVE writing Timaeus, he's just so much fun and its so much fun balancing his personalitiy, especially now that he's after Yugi and out little one has perked his curiously ;)
> 
> Speaking of which I'm very curious to see everyone's opinions on Yugi's decision making ;)
> 
> Don't think there was any knew vocab this chapter but If you have any questions please feel free to ask ^^
> 
> Next Time: Atlantis has invaded Egypt and Yugi makes a split-second decisions that will change his life. Meanwhile, Timaeus' invasion goes off without a hitch, but he can't help but notice someone is missing


	5. V: Invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atlantis has invaded Egypt and Yugi makes a split-second decisions that will change his life. Meanwhile, Timaeus' invasion goes off without a hitch, but he can't help but notice someone is missing.

Chapter _V: Invasion_

It was against his own will. He could pretend the decision was made for him **.** That he had no choice and this was the only way, but he knew that was a lie. Nothing he rationalized could or would convince him that he was doing the right thing. _Right_. He chuckled, dark and bitter. There was a dry irony in that obnoxious word.

And yet here he was, as if the morning's breakthroughs were only a faded dream. And that was the most painful irony of all.

Yugi could've cursed the Gods for their cruel games and insane plot twists: he could just picture them snickering in the Afterlife weaving fates and hopes with the careless laughter of gossiping seamstresses. Only his devoted upbringing and respect for his divine parents kept his tongue behind his teeth. It would've been hypocritical of him anyway. He'd made his choice and he'd known the answer the second he realized it was an army marching towards Waset and not a single ship. It didn't matter how much he detested it, it didn't matter how both his brain and heart knew it was the wrong choice, it didn't matter that it would cost him everything: it was _his_ choice and that was all that mattered.

Yugi stormed through the pillows of Hypostyle Hall and hollered just loud enough for his voice to echo: "Get out of here now!"

Servants and hem-netjer alike stopped and stared at him with bewildered faces, torn halfway between confusion and shock. "We have to leave!" He warned "Atlantis' army is coming!"

"Atlantis!" A servant dropped the tray she'd been carrying and scrunched her fingers to her cheeks in horrified shock.

"Yes!" Yugi confirmed nodding and frantic. "They're coming across the desert as we speak.

"Atlantis!?" A scribe repeated, terrified nails sinking into the still drying stele he'd just created in desperate comfort.

"We have to get out now!" Yugi ordered.

"What lies are this?" A hard voice spat.

Yugi spun around, violet eyes blazing with rage and glared at Siam so fiercely the bullish man flinched. "You accuse me of false words!?" Yugi screeched, low and dangerous. "You who lines your belly with substance while others starve?"

"Enough of your lies!" Siam shoved forward, his voice full of cowardly triumph rather than any actual conviction. "Causing trouble for the Divine Servants are you?" he accused, harsh and derisive. "We all heard your biting words to their kindness."

Yugi wanted to protest, but one glance at the steadying calmness on their waning faces, and he swallowed a retort. Even the most paranoid of the temple advocates relaxed their stressed shoulders.

They reminded Yugi so much of his hopeful, innocent self. So naïve and overconfident that things would work out in his favor that Yugi wanted to scream **.** He wanted to shake them, throttle them, hurt them before someone else did, and far worse than he would.

He spun to Siam with savage eyes and biting words. "You think I'd lie about something so severe?" He thought what Pase would say in that incident, born leader he was, imagined his proud encouraging smile. "So you chose to believe my words are some nasty tricky rather than accept the possibility of the truth? What purpose do I have in speaking such a lie? What reason? If all I wanted was to cause trouble for the Divine Servants why would I involve the whole precinct? Why would I claim the world's greatest nation is coming to invade us were it just a trick? Why would I claim something so outlandish and cruel unless it was the truth? Would you really risk the lives and safety of everyone in this House if you were wrong? Ha!" He gestured to the crowd with an arm, his laugh short and sharp and his words spoken with the authority of a king.

Muttering began to fill the walls, echoing against stone, even Siam no longer looked confident. Yugi just stared at him, smile curling when Siam cowered under the sharpness of his glare. "You've always been a fool Siam, but even I never thought you a coward to this extent."

"Be silent!" Siam shot forward and struck him hard across the cheek. The unexpectedness more than the force, sent Yugi spiraling to the ground. Siam laughed victoriously, the way the local bully in town laughed after picking on a small animal. "I've had enough of your rebellion! When our Divine master and mistress hear of this—"

"What?" Yugi snapped standing and made no effort to nurse the growing bruise on his cheek. "You _still_ don't believe me?" Yugi stomped forward and Siam mouth snapped closed with a click of the teeth. "Go outside and check! Though chances are you'll be dead before you return."

Siam stared in horror. "Y-Y-You dare?"

"Yes, I dare!" Yugi shouted "Because it's true, we need to evacuate now!"

"What's going—Ujalah?" Yugi span around where Menkheperre and Maatkare both stood in the threshold, the commanding tone softening to hopeful surprise. They stared at him with blank expressions than smiles; some awful mixture between happiness and victorious certainty.

"Good to see you've come to your senses and return—" he reached a hand towards the boy but Yugi wrenched his arm away, glaring, a silent gesture that he'd yet to be forgiven. It was cruel, and Yugi knew it, but any other action would've given them hope and that would've been even crueler.

"The Atlantis army is invading the temple. Timaeus' ship is on its way as we speak." Yugi announced, his voice dangerously grave and with no trace of humor.

"This is lunacy!" Siam screeched.

"Enough!" Menkheperre shouted silencing all, but his expression was one of annoyance and anger. It was all Yugi needed to know it was a mistake to come back even if it did clear his conscience.

He was still glaring at the Divine Servant when a terrible heart-wrenching scream broke the silence. A shaking servant girl pointed a trembling finger at the crowd clamored in the direction she pointed where they stood stupid in the threshold, frozen in curious shock. Yugi shoved his way to the front, his small stature weaving between the forests of bodies. He barely registered the sight when a thunderous crush shook the walls. Dust rained overhead, stinging Yugi's eyes. Several people dropped screaming and covering their heads. Another high-pitched scream echoed and Yugi saw why.

The bow of a massive ship dominated Sphinx Avenue then rammed into the gap of the massive sandstone pylon. The nose tore through the sands of the forecourt splashing up canal water like a mini wave. The force sent a second shock reverberating through the temple and another rain of dust from overhead when the Hypostyle Hall walls shook. Screams echoed and occupants ducked to their knees, arms shielding their heads.

"We're under attack!" Someone screamed: the words, the trigger that erupted in chaos. The spell of curiosity broken, fear sank in, and panic soon followed. Someone crashed into Yugi and sent him flying, he slammed onto his back and curled into a ball as terrified, trembling bodies ran screaming in a stampede of panicked terror.

Yugi crawled to his feet, catching a glance at a temple servant crying in the corner: dirt-caked dress and hair, her tunic was stained pink where a shoulder wound bled shallowly. Her hands obscured her wet face, her lips the color of a bruise. To his shock neither Menkheperre nor Maatkare had moved. Menkheperre just stared forward, face blank and looking foolish while Maatkare was shaking more from disbelief than fear or shock. They just stood and stared looking foolish, as if not understanding. Not quite able to grasp the reality even as it happened right in front of them. Unable to accept for all their power in Kemet and their hatred for the _Per-Ah_ , that they would be powerless and broken by a far more powerful third party.

They couldn't accept they had been attacked first, that they were truly being invaded.

"What do we do **?"** A hem-netjer with a bruised face and a cut arm pleaded over the broken sobs of girls hiding in the corners. All looked desperate and scared.

"Attend to yourselves," Maatkare told the wounded, but she spoke dazedly and lacking all her previous authority.

Yugi shivered, eyes falling once more on the invading army. Soldiers poured from the ship like a shinning flood, more savage than the Nile. One shinning figure preceded the rest. He led, not marched, and they followed, no one dared pass him. Unlike his men, he wore no helmet and exposed his face in all its grotesque beauty to his victims.

Yugi didn't need to be told who he was. Lines of description from rumors and stories painted a clear image: wild hair blazing black like a giant fire with highlight that shifted from the deepest of blue-violets to the most striking blue. Silver forelock framed his chiseled face: sharp with angled and a strong chin and a sinister, singular smirk that morphed into a unique set of eyes-one wide and angular and bright with emerald fire and the other perpetually shut with a harsh scar indented across from brow to nose like the claw mark of some hideous creature.

Yugi's heart stopped beating and breath froze in this throat. Even his thoughts muted in his mind, he'd known it was coming-known _who_ was coming but faced with the happening he was unable to accept the sheer reality of it.

Conscious thought abandoned him like a helpless cub left to fend for itself. His subconscious mind, sensing danger, screamed at him to run but his treacherous body betrayed him. Another scream broke the silence and Yugi raced from the Hall.

Having lost the advantage of surprise, the soldiers fractured and so did the House of Life, but while Amun singers and hem-netjer s, servant girls and God's slaves ran screaming in chaotic patterns, the soldiers separated into ordered fractions blocking escape routes and circling additional housing. The ship blocking the canal, the barracks sealing the outer pylons and the soldiers infiltrating the structure: suddenly, Yugi realized their intent.

The capital was never their prize. It only took Yugi a fraction of a second to realize that: it was Amun's House of Life. His heart and body were in revolt. His limbs light, ready to flee, but his heart was paralyzed by fear and the screams of horror. A handful of hem-netjer and servants darted past him: some panicked and screeching with terror, others silent and covered in dust. Girls and scribe apprentices were huddled on the floor staring at him with wet eyes. He wasn't following the crowd deeper into the confining halls of the House. They could hide, but they'd be found and they'd be trapped. Escape impossible. Too late to evacuate, all Yugi could do was run.

Fear moved his feet, his heart hammering, desperate and hopeless. Wetness pricked his eyes. Prayers and pleads that didn't reach his voice echoed in his mind. Prayers to his fathers. Pleads to his mother. _Please,_ came the desperate plea, his voice was too weak to repeat as he ran blindly through the precinct. _Please help me._

Suddenly his feet became entangled and he stumbled face first into wetness. Panic seized him at first, but once he surfaced, his mind cleared. Reeds tangled at his feet, and lotus blossoms floated about him spinning like little fairies dancing on the surface of the water. They spiraled in a single direction, beckoning Yugi to follow them. He obeyed, and the he saw it. The southern gate next to Amenhophis II's temple just adjacent to the Sacred Lake where an avenue of sphinxes led to another precinct—and the House of Life of Mut-Sekhmet.

His mother's Goddess who she served so faithfully.

The ferocious and fiercely protective lioness who his father praised every morning with gifts of wine and blood and prayed to for strength and the protection of his family.

And it was open. No soldiers blocked its path or occupied its entrance. Would they even think to look there for him? The hem-netjer wouldn't. Why would Atlantis soldiers, naïve to its importance to Kemet's religion even think to go there?

With a prayer of hope to his deceased parents, Yugi fled as fast as his calloused feet could run. The hot sand stung the soles with fierce blisters, but the sacred waters had worked their magic and suddenly he felt lighter. The wind blew south offering a small push. He could almost see the ram-headed sphinxes bow their heads in approval. The House of Life shined in the light at the end of the avenue, beckoning like a faded mirage with none of the heart-wrenching disappointment when it revealed itself false.

Soon, he found himself under the watchful gaze of hundred of Sekhmet statues, lioness-headed, and both her ferocity and loyalty immortalized in perfectly carved granite. Instantly, Yugi felt a wave of relief and maternal protectiveness wash over him. He found to himself swaying into Mut's House of Life and collapsed to his knees at the base of her statue.

Her precinct was small compared to Amun's: only a small square by comparison and contained only a single House of Life and its heart dominated by Isheru, the enormous crescent shape spring glittering like lapis lazuli. In her temple which her very _ka_ called home, she stood commanding and dotting in the sculpted body of a woman, an anhk in her hand, a vulture headdress bejeweled her hair and a double-crown of sovereignty adored her head. Her face, the flawless beauty of a woman: her eyes kind, her smile warm, her hands clever, and all around her the granite statues of her lioness alter-ego.

At its heart stood the Goddess herself, the heavenly mother, who embodied a mother's love: gentle, warm and doting, but the fiercest of the earth's forces. Regent of kingship, protector of women and mothers, lover of children. At her fiercest, she was Sekhmet, the lion goddess: ruthless in battle and dangerous of the _Per-Ah_ 's enemies, but fiercely protected his allies and family and a healer who brought with her the wrath of the sun and the demons of pestilence that served her faithfully and fled without question when her priests invoked her to command them. Her duality won her the heart of Amun-Ra, Kemet's Imperial God and mother of the moon and only she would be his consort, the throne at his side was hers alone.

Yugi collapsed at her feet, exhausted and out of breath but immediately overcome with relief as if the wind sweeping through his hair were the goddess loving hands. He pressed his forehead to her feet and whispered a prayer of thanks and a praise of solace. Her protection and love fluttering throughout every inch of the House and he felt it in his bones. His heart. His soul.

Free.

His heart jittered like an agile cat's: light and alive with hope and promise. Free.

His earlier ponderings has brought it into fruitarian but in the aftermath of a war, having escaped capture and evaded a battle it felt alive. True. Real.

He was free-only the distant hope of a foreign dream that tittered on the edge of possibility. It was a real thing now. It was real, and it was happening. His years of hiding and daydreaming and fate had won him the most unlikely chance of freedom.

And he'd taken it.

It wasn't over, of course, there was still work to be done. He'd have to gather supplies and wait out the Atlantis invasion for however long it took. He'd have to board the bark to Waset and from there, perhaps join a caravan to Djanet, or get a ride on a supply bark or a merchant galley. He could dance and play instruments and when asked he could sing. He'd be useful. He'd even earn his keep and do something. He'd find his brother and sister. He'd decide his future. Perhaps he could be Pase's ambassador and see all those exotic places he'd dreamed about. He'd join Muth as a Hem-netjer. She was Divine Priestess of Mut, he _would_ come again. Or he could travel with a caravan through Kemet and beyond, as a dancer, or a doctor as the Sekhmet priests were called outside of Kemet.

He had choices. He had options. And he was just beginning to make them real with such passion and hope that in that moment he was certain all his dreams would come true.

And they might have—had he not been followed.

X X X

Timaeus was a warrior, seasoned for battle and in the short time he'd been trained in its service, he had mastered the arts of war—and its horrors. Having witnessed the massacre of blood and death all his life and not just in war, he prided himself on his men's swift work. The temples emptied and even the deepest bowl and darkest corners of Amun's massive halls had been discarded and emptied. It wasn't elegant and it wasn't slaughter, but it was quick and bloodless.

From each corner, his soldiers returned ushering slaved in simple shenti, girls and singers in fine silks and priests donning fancy headdresses and robed of heavy pleats. Their hands bound and gathered in the forecourt where Dartz was waiting. Physicians waited on the ship, unmoving without the order.

Timaeus scanned the bodies. No casualties, but a slave boy had a scraped cheek and shoulder. A girl has her hair tussled and blood on her thighs. Seeing her, he walked over and knelt in front of her. She shivered when he stopped and made no effort to stop her tears. As gently as possible he asked "Are you injured?" She stopped shaking and looked up in surprise, and he smiled gently and gestured to the blood. She blushed and wiped it away, shaking her head no. Next to her a soldier carried an unconscious boy with a strip of his cape wrapped around his head. Red splotched from a gash on his forehead, and she said she'd been holding it in her lap. Timaeus nodded and made a mental note to have the physician check her report of findings only to him.

A bald priest with a fat stomach threw himself at Timaeus' feet and pleaded for mercy even offering all in exchange for his freedom. Timaeus shuddered in revulsion and hooked his toe under the man's chin and kicked him away, not so quietly calling him a worthless coward.

They'd surrendered without a fight. Only the High Priest and Priestess refused. The Priestess had attacked him in a blind rage, but he'd easily dodged her blade. He'd drawn his sword, but not unsheathed it, and slammed the butt onto her hand and she dropped her weapon. He'd slammed his sword into her thigh and she faltered, grabbing her wrist, he'd had her hands bound before her knees hit the floor. But she didn't go quietly. Even restrained, she kicked, screamed and thrashed until her beaded wig flopped off revealing cropped hair. She was still damning him and threatening Kemetic curses upon his house and descendants when he'd had his men drag her outside.

The High Priest had been less of a challenge. Braver than his sister, he didn't hide. He'd attacked Timaeus face to face: honorable but foolish. Timaeus slammed the sword into his belly and the man gasped and slumped over Timaeus blade. He dropped when Timaeus pulled away his sword, momentarily stunned he was still alive. Only when his hands were bound did he see Timaeus sword was still sheathed in its protective leather.

The Dragon General searched each group, scrutinized each face, but none bore flame-shaped black hair in three colors or violet eyes, not even blue. They were a monochromatic bunch, all with black hair, dyed or natural, while bald priests donned cloth headdresses or covered their baldness with beaded wigs; and their eyes a boring pallet or gold, brown or black. It was like waking up and suddenly realizing you'd lost the ability to process and see colors.

"Is this everyone?" he demanded, displeased and unimpressed.

"Sir!" the soldiers stood straight. "We've evacuated all the lesser temples. Men are still searching the larger structures."

"That doesn't answer my question." Timaeus barked, brows furrowing and eyes narrowing to slits. "Is. This. Everyone."

The soldiers remained stoic. "We are certain."

Timaeus whirled to the High Priest and Priestess and caught them whispering. Realizing they'd been caught, the conspirators silenced and shoved away, shivering under the intensity of Timaeus' glare. Timaeus marched over and dropped to one knee.

"I will ask you only once," his glare was mild, but his smile and voice were victorious almost mocking. "Where is the boy called Ujalah?"

The Priestess spat at his face and the Priest elbowed her harshly but the deed was done. His suspicions confirmed.

"I see," Timaeus smile curled. "So he's here then? Thank you for that confirmation. However, inelegant."

The Priestess seethed with rage and looked at him with hate in her eyes, but there was no less rage or hate when she looked away, mumbling furious insults to herself.

"I'll ask again." He glared down at the bound High Priest who met his eyes, stoic and neutral but he was not as mastered in the art as Timaeus. Deep in the black pools, Timaeus saw the seething rage of defeat, the devastated frustration of failed work and the sheer annoyance of wasted planning and the absolute end to such carefully plotted and perfect scheming. Timaeus' eyes betrayed nothing.

He let all his brutality and rage bleed into his voice. "Where. Is. Yugi."

The name more than anything else caught him off guard. Timaeus knelt and met the High Priest's eyes and forced the High Priest to stare at him.

"I don't know," he admitted, defeated and furious at himself because of it. "We lost him in the chaos."

Timaeus pulled away. He checked the crowd again. Then his soldiers. All were accounted for—except two. "Where are Haga and Rex." The demand was quick and clean.

The soldiers looked among themselves, just now noticing their missing comrades. No one answered.

Timaeus roared with a sharpening "Well!"

"They left to investigate the southern gate, General." One of them spoke up. "There was a temple there and several outer walls. They volunteered."

Timaeus arched a brow. Haga and Rex were boys more interested in glory and blood and playing soldier rather than the actual responsibility of it, and their mischief had earned them Timaeus' scorn many times before. He trusted them to investigate a temple like he trusted a leech not to suck his blood.

He strolled to the dais steps and found the south pylons in the distance. Sharp eyes scanned the lakes to the so-called temple and the avenue of sphinxes until a faded structure caught his attention. In the heat he could almost mistake it for a mirage it was so distant, but his instincts taught him better.

Beyond the parallel row of ram-headed lions he saw the outline of a large wall and beyond it the faint structure of a house, more ornament than some of the smaller complexes here and large enough to house something grand. He stepped towards it and felt the wind roaring in his ear, rough and loud like the warning call of a mother lioness to an intruder.

"Tell me," he looked at the High Priest when we spoke, but addressed the crowd as a whole. "What lies beyond there?" the casual tone was that of a foreigner asking for directions and the Priest growled with rage. The rest bowed their heads in obedient silence.

'The Precinct of Mut-Sekhmet," a soft voice spoke. Timaeus blinked and spun towards it. The girl he'd spoken to earlier shrank away under his gaze but continued speaking. "It is the House of Life dedicated to her Divine Heavenly Regent Mut-Sekhmet, consort to his Divine—"

Timaeus listened as she listed the titles, but one caught his ears.

"Sekhmet," he breathed the word, testing it on his tongue. A smile slit his face.

"Thank you, my dear," he bowed low and spoke so graciously that for a moment she forgot who he was and blushed.

"Take them to the ship," Timaeus ordered his men. "See that the wounded are attended to and place everyone else in the holds." He paused and met the glares of the priest and priestess then ordered evenly "Take them to the brig. And tell his Highness to meet me at Mut's precinct."

With that, he marched away and started through the many pylons of the south entrance. The soldiers looked at him with confusion and curiosity. Questions formed on their lips but none of them spoke. Silently, they ushered their captives towards the ship. Physicians and medics arrived to treat the wounded. _Like the Priestess of Sekhmet_ , he thought, recalling Dartz's explanation. His knowledge of Kemetic religion was limited, but he knew enough about Mut-Sekhmet to put the pieces together.

In Kemetic stories, if he remembered correctly, Sekhmet was the goddess of destruction and war. She was the sun's fire, the instrument of his vengeance and the embodiment of his wrath. But she was not unkind, nor was she wholly savage. She is battle and war: it was she who drew the blood from the fallen in battle so they may die peacefully. She who chased pestilence from her children and summoned its demons upon her enemies. She was the desert's heat who squashed invaders under the heat of Kemet's sun. Her blessings were protection in battle and the ferocity of the slaughter, but also the liquid life of each warrior slain in war, each child spared death from disease. Her temples were few, but her cult so dominate when the capital changed, she moved with it. Her rituals were daily to placate her rage and her festivals were held in annual bouts of drunken wildness mimicking how Amun-Ra mollified her bloodlust against disrespectful men. And when her rage was placated and her blood lust sedated, she became Mut.

Mut was the Lady of the Heavens, the divine, doting, mother associated with the waters from which everything is born. She was the vulture who conceived by the wind herself. It was she who filled wombs, protected children from danger, and filled women with strength and in her was all the tender affection and ferocious protection of mothers. For nothing was fiercer than a mother's love. Rulers worshiped her as their heavenly Queen who chased away shadows and filled the night with stars. Her temples were less and her worship more subtle, like a mother's watchful eye after her children were all grown and she sent them off into the world with words of encouragement and the promise that they were never alone. Her true temple, it was believed, housed her _ka_ in its heart surrounded by statues with the face of her more ferocious self.

Mut and Sekhmet: duality at its finest. The duality of all women, of all mothers and of all warriors: one the doting and loving inspirer, the other a fierce and savage protector.

He had no illusions that Yugi would seek shelter there.


	6. Revulsion

_Chapter VI: Revulsion_

Yugi hadn't realized he'd been followed, and he didn't notice anyone else until he'd heard snickering behind him. A hand came over his mouth and pulled him into a rough hold before he had a hope of turning around.

He thrashed on instinct, but another hand grabbed his fist, and only when he realized that neither the hand covering his mouth nor the arm around his waist had moved, that there were two assailants. The second rounded to the front and Yugi saw, to his bewilderment, it was a boy. A boy no older than himself, maybe younger. He was short and scrawny, with rounded limbs and head and face like a ball with beady, black bug eyes, aqua hair cropped to a short bob, and his smile was a tiny sinister thing that laughed in a scratchy rasp when he opened it.

His partner was hidden behind Yugi's form, but from the cold prick of metal roughly scrapping his back and arms both wore full bodied armor: smooth chain links connecting metal plates covering shoulders, chests, hips and legs. This wasn't the tough leather hides Kemet soldiers prided themselves on: this was thin, heavy, metal encasing all but their faces in an impenetrable shell.

Realization found instinct and Yugi pushed his head down as far as he could with the gauntlet gagging him, then slammed it back into his captor's nose. With a pained scream, his captor let go and Yugi dropped. His second assailant's grip loosened from shock, and Yugi quickly shot forward and punched him clear in the nose, the way he attacked Siam when he was angry. They retreated the same way Siam did when he was struck: screaming and cowering away to nurse their wounds.

Yugi didn't waste their momentary hesitation. He ran like Ammut nipped at his heels, but the day's events wore heavy on his weakening body. The adrenaline of survival withdrew its power once his attackers were dispatched. His feet were tired, heavy and blistered from the hot sand. His knees felt watery and his blood ran thin, but he pushed forward even as his heart begged him to stop.

As though he sensed the truth of Yugi's condition, the second attacker lunged. He missed but grabbed Yugi's foot, and the boy dropped as if he'd stepped over the edge of a steep cliff and slammed with just as much force. Dizziness overcame him from the force of the didn't have time to maneuver when he was dragged forward. His cheek and side scrapped rough stone irritating his already bruised cheek and leaving shallow scratches like claw marks. Tiny stones and dirt quickly embedded in the wounds, irritating them further.

Yugi rolled over with determination plucking his heart, and tried to kick. The soldier grabbed his foot, halting the blow and squeezed his ankle harshly. Yugi glared at him without fear, and saw the assailant's mask of hatred flinch. Yugi saw then: he was a boy too. Not much taller than himself with a wild mane of brown and white hair bunched together and sticking through the cracks in his helmet in wild stuffs. His eyes were small and sharp but shined with cowardly triumph. His nose bled from where Yugi had struck him but his face was young and adolescent, not yet perfected by maturity. He reminded Yugi of a lizard with the disturbing way he licked his lips, a lizard catching countless flies.

The bug-eyed boy came at him with just as much hate. He lunged but Yugi rolled out of the way, taking his captor with him. The two soldiers fell onto of the other, tangled in a heap of limbs and metal. _Boys._ Yugi realizes with a feeling of almost relief. _Not soldiers, boys._ Young, clumsy, inexperienced and desperate to stand tall in the face of their more fearsome comrades, even to a weak and tired boy.

Yugi pulled on his feet and pried off the lizards squeezing gauntlets, the fingers painfully tight like countless prickling metal thorns. Once free, he crawled away but his ankle screamed under the weight and forced him to stop. He flinched from the pain and the hesitation was his ultimate mistake.

The lizard threw bug boy off him and with eager hands grabbed the cloth of his shenti and Yugi froze when he heard it rip. With a victorious lunge, he grabbed Yugi's wrist and shoulder, and threw him into bug boys waiting arms **.** Armored vice grips pinned Yugi's arms to his sides, imprisoning him despite his wild struggling.

"Little bitch!" Lizard hissed and delivered a swift blow to Yugi's gut knocking the air from his lungs. He froze momentarily then his body crumbled in a fit of coughs and hisses.

"Feisty, heehee," bug boy rasped with a chuckle so high pitched his shoulders bounced. "Maybe we should teach him a lesson?" He suggested with a sinister undertone that promised pain.

"Or maybe we should reward him." Lizard licked his lips, eyes blazing with greedy triumphant-lust?

Yugi's face froze in disbelief. For a moment that felt like a hundred years, he stared at nothing and the world was empty. He felt foolish, not quiet able to understand. Surely, they weren't suggesting…no, it had to be a mistake. His fear and hatred making him frantic and his mind was tired and scared from the hours events. Surely, they hadn't meant it. They were _boys_ , they _couldn't_ have meant it. Surely, it was just a ruse, a simple trick to scare him into submission so they could feel tough.

He knew of the brutalities of war, the fates that befell women and victims of invading armies if they weren't killed first. Kemet was no stranger to war and invasion, but such horrors never touched her. Not when such crimes were punishable by death by torture and denial of the afterlife, even for those with the best connections, it wasn't worth the risk. Occurrences, if any, were met with ferocious outcry and swift justice, the names of perpetrators banned from public speaking to emulate their fate in Ammut's belly. And Atlantis, for all its strength and power took a strong moral stance against such horrible acts. The Generals were known for training their soldiers rigorously in the art of restraint, and to publicly and brutally execute any who committed it. They were Atlanta Soldiers. Soldiers for his most ferocious General. Invading Egypt and in the House of Life of Mut-Sekhmet. Surely they weren't…

He stared in a daze until he felt his shenti being pulled, then he heard it rip, and saw it being lifted from his skin. Reality crashed upon him and with it, his will to fight returned.

NO!" Yugi screamed louder than he though his voice capable, and with all his strength, kicked forward. His shin by some God's mercy catching the lizard's jaw when he bent over and sent him spiraling. Wildly, he thrashed his head back, catching the bug for the second time in the face, but this time when the bug screamed in pain, he threw Yugi against Mut's statue.

Yugi's arms cushioned his fall, but the rest of him slammed hard into stone and he crumbled in a fetal pile. Only then did he notice his shenti, half torn and barely clinging to his hips. He tried to look up, but a metal hand punched his side with such force his head smacked the stone. An explosion of light flooded his vision, followed by a spinning haze of brilliant dots.

Before he could scream again, the two men were upon him with furious blows and spouting words of hate. Yugi curled into a ball, his arms flew to cover his head, his legs curled under his belly and he exposed his back, protecting his sensitive middle and head. He tried to scream again but his voice caught in his throat and he could only squeak. He tried to throw himself upward, punch back. Fight—he had to fight, but each resistance was met with another blow.

The rushing blackness threatened to overwhelm him. Bug boy was laughing like a swarm of vicious locus, delivering cowardly blows while the lizard pulled away and struggled in vain to undo his armored belt.

Unable to speak, his thoughts filled with silent prayers. To his parents. To Mut. To Sekhmet. Begging. _Pleading_ for protection. For assistance. For help. To be saved…

In his dizzy pain-filled haze, he swore he heard Sekhmet's statues growling and saw Mut's flawless face, perpetually kind and loving , glare down with a vicious snare—and then a shadow appeared, standing in the entrance to the House. A brilliant green shadow, tall and powerful and spent after completing a heroic run towards a scream for help.

 _His_ scream.

Pain blotched his sight and then swirled into darkness and Yugi fell, praying that scream had saved his life.

X X X

It was a scream so filled with fear and determination that at first Timaeus thought that he had imagined it. Then the wind roared in his ears like a mother lioness charging to defend her cubs. Timaeus felt that spirit enter his body and he ran towards it. His armor, once a hindrance to his speed now felt as loose as leather. His limbs were agile and light but coursing, ready to defend, and his feet quick and floating, barely touching the ground. Even the sand felt solid as stone.

In a breath, he was in the threshold to Mut's temple and was paralyzed by what he found there: a boy, naked and bruised but glaring with a wild defiance, was curled in a fetal ball at the base of the statue of the deity and two men, _his_ men standing over him. One prepared to beat him if he dared move, the other struggling to undo the chain-links of his lower armor. Atlantis smiths made specifically difficult in order to prevent such heinous acts during battle for those too weak-willed to remember their training.

He stood there dumbfounded. His world a daze that seemed perpetually frozen, even though he knew it wasn't. He felt blinded, foolish even, and yet it felt impossible, blasphemous. These were _his_ men. _His_ people. Men, soldiers, boys, _he'd_ trained, taught them honor, moral, justice in life and in war. He couldn't accept that two of them, even the most foolish and rash, were capable of something as _evil_ as rape.

And then he saw it. It was only a second, barely a moment, but he did, and that was all it took to make the whole thing crushingly real. He met the boy's wet eyes, and beneath the wild, determined bravado he saw pain and the fading will to fight. His hair was tasseled to a mop like drooping plant craving water, his face ashen and speckled with blood, an ugly bruise was growing on his cheek and his lips morphed into a single desperate word.

Timaeus gaze fell, his bangs shadowed his face. Neither attacker had seen him as he entered the temple, and his steps were steady and dangerously calm. Haga's laughter and Rex's disgusting slurs: bile burned his blood. Furious fingers found the hilt of his sword when Rex finished unfastening his chains and wailed with triumph: the victorious glee of a spoiled toddler crushing beetles. Timaeus saw him tower over his captive whose face was etched with pain, but not fear.

With a single wave of his arm, Timaeus drew his sword, and slashed Rex across the back. Slicing armor and flesh, blood sprayed his face. Haga screamed. Rex spun, his face a mask of surprise as he dropped, his body tried to scream but blood foamed in his mouth. His eyes pooled into a pleading almost desperate "Why?", but when he met his General's eyes he found no sympathy—and no mercy.

"You _dare_ look at me that way!" Timaeus thundered and flung his hand forward. Rex's expression dropped. Timaeus snatched him by the hair and dragged him up and punctured each word. "You. _dare_. Question. _Why_!" His voice dangerously low. His eyes narrowed to enraged, unforgiving slits. Rex shook in pure fear and suddenly the pain meant nothing.

                                                                                   

Out of the corner of his eye, Timaeus caught Haga trying to crawl away. His whole head spun, catching the boy and he froze like a rabbit cornered by a wolf—and knowing it was about to die. Timaeus dropped Rex, snatched Haga by the hair before he could run and threw him into a corner. His back hit the wall with a loud thud. Haga's scream was all breath and he crumbled paralyzed by shock and fear.

Timaeus rushed to the fallen boy and dropped to his knees, wrenching his mantle free from its clasps. He examined the boy carefully, but kept his eyes in appropriate places. Indents from metal gauntlets dotted his back and arms, tiny groves already healing ringed his ankles. There was blood, but only splatters like they'd been dropped on him. Timaeus checked for wounds but found only bruises. He wore only the tattered remains of a Kemetic wrap. One thigh was covered in bruises but the other was clean, and none dotted the insides. No blood either or liquid. Good, he thought, least he hadn't been raped, but the boy kept his knees tightly closed. More bruises littered his arms and sides, some pale and sickly yellow, others forming ugly blackish purple masses. The worst was on his cheek. The other was scraped. Scratches grooved his side, but none were too deep.

He'd been beaten, but judging from the blood and broken noses of the soldiers he'd fought. He'd screamed and it had saved him.

 _Thank Leviathan_ Timaeus prayed, covering the boy with his cloak. Then looking up and faced with Mut's statue and surrounded by duplicates of Sekhmet, he remembered where he was, and amended his prayer. "Thank you Lady of the Heavens and Mistress of Blood and Wars," he whispered. "For protecting this child long enough for my arrival. Rest assured," his voice turned dark and settled Haga and Rex with unforgiving eyes. "This crime will _not_ go unpunished."

X X X

Yugi awakened a moment later to strong arms bundling him in soft warmth. He listened to prayers of thanks to the Goddess and promises of retribution. It stirred him awake and he saw The Shadow. No, not a shadow but a man standing protectively over him. His captors cowered in pure terror, too afraid to even slink away from his glare. One writhed on the floor, blood seeping from his mouth and a terrible wound on his back. The other trembled in the corner like a child about to be whipped for deliberate disobedience.

Once he was certain Yugi was alright, the Shadow grabbed the lizard first by the scruff of his neck. Blood pooled from his mouth, but he wheezed and chocked his words, whimpering, and sniveling to his king then snarling at Yugi as if pleading _He made me do it!_

The Shadow was unimpressed and only shook, pained. "Stupid," he growled, voice dripping with despair. "Stupid, cowardly, lecherous!" Each world was a punctured blow wracked with fury and pain. "Stupid!" He drew his sword and addressed both boys as he would a man. "What were you taught!? What were you trained!?" He held the lizard the way he spoke, sadly and firmly. "I taught you to fight with honor! I trained you to harm no innocent: attack only to defend, kill only if unavoidable, harm no child, rape no woman, kill no farmer or elder. We are not conquerors. We are not rapists. We are not monsters! We are soldiers: we are warriors of Atlantis and soldiers of Locri! We fight with honor because without honor is only slaughter and bloodshed and chaos. You know this!" His words were harsh and with the cruelty of a humorless judge, but with the pained scolding of a teacher punishing a disrespectful student.

The boy looked at Timaeus desperately, but Timaeus' glare remained unsoftened. "Did I not warn you? Did I not say what the punishment for dishonor would be? Have you not seen me enforced it many times before? I forgave your past digressions: your stupid pride, your foolish mischief, but this…attack, this evil….this…this…attempt to…" he choked as he spoke unable to speak the word, as if it would enact the act itself. "Rape," he said as if it were the ugliest curse, the vilest of venom, the very embodiment of the world's evil: because it was.

He raised his sword and the boy's eyes fell on the blade, a curved, shining thing like a fallen moon promising only darkness.

"I cannot forgive." Rex attempted to scream and scramble away, but the blood loss made him weak and his voice was mute. And the blade came down. It plunged into the boy's chest, quick and clean, through armor and flesh. Green eyes blazing with betrayal and pain bore into the foolish boy's remorseful ones until he died. The body crumbled to the ground dead.

The bug-eyes boy the Shadow called Haga screamed. When the Shadow turned on him, he threw himself at his feet and cried, his voice a jumbled of desperate pleads and begs for mercy, but the Shadow silenced him by seizing the back of his neck without mercy but not with cruelty.

"You knew," he said harsh and cutting and with heartbroken sadness. "You _knew_ the act you were committing: did I not tell you many times your fate if you dishonored me? Dishonored your _home_ , your _king_? Yes, Haga, you look at me now with those pleading eyes, but I've spared you many times for less! I could forgive your disobedience, I could forgive your cowardness, I could forgive your violence and punish you twice as hard for it, but each time I spared you, did I not warn you what would happen if you were so foolish again? Didn't I?" He demanded in an exasperated roar, and Haga trembled.

"Didn't I?" The Shadow yelled again, this time clear it wasn't rhetorical.

"Yes," Haga's voice was a squeak.

The Shadow's face didn't soften. "Did I not tell you the punishment for dishonor?"

Haga nodded, unable to speak, eyes filled with terror and regret. But it was too late.

"And you attempted to commit the worst of all such sins and you have the audacity to plead mercy?" The words were so harsh, even Yugi, who hated this creature and knew full well he meant to kill him, maybe even join his friend in raping him, felt pity for him.

"No, Haga, neither of you deserve mercy. You would not show it to your victim and I will not show it to you and your end will serve as a reminder to all those who dare think themselves above our law. Now, my stupid, arrogant friend."

The sword rose, the blade a great, shining thing like a shining star falling to earth: beautiful only until it landed bringing destruction in its wake.

"You die."

He killed him the way he killed Rex: quick and clean and plunging the blade through the chest, his eyes forced to meet those of his killer and face exactly what he had done. Haga's head flopped forward and Timaeus removed the blade. It came away dyed scarlet with blood and dripping drops to the stone like scattered rubies. The blade fell at his side, limb as a broken wing and the Shadow dropped the corpse.

His body shook, wracked with suppressed sobs and then he expelled an exasperated sob that transformed into an awful scream. The scream was a creature, a thing: awful and terrible and clawing its way out of him. It ripped and tore and in it was all his anger, all his rage at the men he'd trained and loved, and all his pain and betrayal. So much pain that his own body felt gutted from the inside and he collapsed to his knees for a brief moment of distress.

Then he rose again, inhaled then exhaled and his body fell steady. He turned away from the corpses, no longer seeing them as his solders or stupid boys. Only traitors and rapists.

Yugi's tiny hands clenched the blanket covering him with trembling fingers. He'd hated those two solders. He didn't know if they hated him, but they meant to harm him, rape him, do far worse than whatever they'd been ordered to do, but even he couldn't fathom such a cruel and sudden end to their cowardly lives.

The shadow was merciless, he realized. His justice was harsh, but it was fair and his heart wasn't hard, nor was he incapable of mourning those he had loved and trained, but they had betrayed him. Tried to commit an act so wrong that he could not forgive them, and he'd punished who they had become, not who they had been, and in his steps was the sadness of parting with an old but dangerous comrade.

He'd stepped towards Yugi, who only now saw his face and recognized immediately who this Shadow was.

X X X

"Are you injured?" Timaeus asked now that the boy was awake. Only now did he recognize the colors in his hair, which had fallen to a mop of black but the forelock of spun gold betrayed his identity. His heart leapt and he knelt closer to gaze into the boy's eyes, their faces met and Timaeus saw him light up in shocked recognition, but he ignored it and focused only on the shining color of his pupils. A deep, shining blue, far deeper than lapis lazuli, nearly violet. They stared at each other until those violet eyes fell on his armor and shook. Timaeus blinked then grasped the situation with a sudden start and said reassuringly, "It's alright," he waved his hands defensively, trying to wipe the blood from his armor. "Are you Yugi?"

He stopped when a look of darkness overcame the boy's face, and grabbed the dagger Timaeus kept tucked in his boot. The boy struck with a wild circular slash, the diameter of his arm. Timaeus fell back on instinct, and rolled away when they boy abandoned the mantle Timaeus had given him and stabbed at him in a single downward strike.

Timaeus dodged it easily and rolled to his feet, but made no more to attack. The boy came at him again, attacking, stabbing inelegantly and without strategy, his eyes wild as a caged beast suddenly freed: savage, murderous and terrified.

Of course he was. Were he not dodging blows and shielding his face and neck with armored arms, Timaeus would've smacked himself. It didn't matter if he'd killed his attackers, to this boy he and all Atlantis soldiers were enemies and he mostly thought Timaeus' gallant rescue was just someone else who just wanted to use his body as a toy, but didn't like to share.

After one particularly powerful strike that had the boy propelling all his energy and power into a single strike, Timaeus waited. Then dodged right, catching the boy by surprise. He slammed his hand down on the boy's wrist and he dropped the dagger with a pained scream. At the sound, Timaeus' heart lurched with guilt.

The boy had made the same mistake as countless others: he'd attacked his left side, his blind side. And it cost him. Where he anyone else, the boy would be dead. Instead, Timaeus grabbed his arms and pulled his wrists behind his back, but the boy didn't surrendered peacefully. He thrashed and kicked, slamming his heel into Timaeus' shin with such force he felt it even through his armor.

"Stop!" Timaeus yelled, but regretted the tone when he felt Yugi shiver and thrash harder in terror. Tears streaming from his eyes and he started screaming.

"Stop," he said less commanding. "Yugi," Hearing his name, the boy froze and looked at him with wet-eyed shock and trembled slightly. The question in his eyes spoke what his voice could not. Timaeus looked at him with a sympathetic smile.

"It's alright," he leaned in and whispered the promise in the trembling boy's ear. His hand gently grasped the back of his head, just above the ear. "You're safe now."

The blow was soft and swift with only enough force to compel the already exhausted child to sleep. He collapsed in Timaeus arms, not so much unconscious as in a deep sleep. _Good_ Timaeus exhaled a sigh of relief and retrieved his mantle. The boy needed rest.

He'd just finished bundling him up, when an exasperated gasp echoed through the stone walls. Timaeus sighed and lifted the child into his arms like a bride. He offered no excuse when he met his King's incredulous face.

Dartz did not speak, even as more men poured into the enclosure. His eyes flew to Timaeus fallen sword, the blood pooling from the corpses of soldiers like a red stream at the base of the lioness statues but, confined by their armor, did not dare tread towards the mother goddess feet.

Only now did he see the bundle in Timaeus' arms.

"Is that him?" Dart asked, his voice numb.

Timaeus nodded. "He is unharmed," Timaeus assured then glared at the corpses, betrayal and anger etched so deeply in his face. At once, Dartz understood—and so did the men. "They dishonored me."

No further explanation was needed.

"Move the bodies," Dartz ordered. "And clean the blood. We shall not insult the consort of Kemet's Great one by leaving them here."

The men nodded and moved to clear them away, but Timaeus spoke. "Gather the blood first. We'll leave it as an offering to pacify the Heavenly Lady's less…" he paused, staring at the lioness statures as if in a daze. The spirit he'd felt before suddenly left him and now he felt face to face with the mother lioness herself, and she was not pleased. " _Forgiving_ side."

Dartz nodded. "We shall not leave before pacifying them both." Dartz agreed with a dreadful aura. A tired hand rose to his forehead and suddenly his face was that of a man twice his age and half as experienced. "They were Atlantian men. They _knew_ better."

"And they paid the price for their foolishness."

Dartz didn't flinch at Timaeus' cruel tone. "Let us pray Psusennes and Mutdjanent think so." He glanced at the two bodies on the floor, and the men confused on where to move them,

Throw them to the desert," Timaeus answered his unasked question without mercy.

The soldiers gasped at the command. "General?"

Timaeus stopped and glared, daring the man to challenge his rule. "Leave them for Mut's vultures and Sekhmet's cats to pick clean. It is the least they deserve for attacking her child. And rapists, even failed ones, deserve far less." He spoke without pity. No one questioned him.

He started out of the temple with the boy still bundled like a sleeping babe when Dartz asked "Shall I have one of the men carry him to the ship? There is room with the physician."

"No, I'll take him." Timaeus said firmly. "He's suffered enough at the priests' hands and my own men would have done worse. I will keep him until he awakes. I trust you have no objections?"

Dartz looked at him with a neutral gaze. "Were you anyone else, I'd question such kindness as an attempt at seduction," Dartz said flatly, his eyes betrayed nothing. Then he smiled. "But you are not anyone else, Timaeus of Locri."

Timaeus smiled. "Your faith will not be abused."

With that he left the temple. Winds prickled his neck like claws, almost warningly. His eyes fell on his beautiful burden. Only now able to see his face. He was lovely. Sweet, round cheeks, a sweetheart face set with a button nose, a small mouth with small petal pink lips and large round eyes: innocent, elegant and loving like an Earth Mother's. Even bruised, messy and caked with dirt, he was simply lovely.

Again, Timaeus smiled, but it was curved rather than slit. "I look forward to meeting you officially," he paused and purred the name, savoring the bell-like sound and how easily it rolled off his tongue. "Yugi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My second longest chapter so far word wise. I'm very proud of how it came our, especially Timaeus. I had to redo the beginning like three times to keep the fight scene from going all matrix style and keep it real, plus Yugi's been running all day on hot sand (if any of you have been to the beach barefoot that shit BURNS!) so once his adrenaline is out he's gone.
> 
> I was also careful with the rape scene for historical purposes: Thought the Ancient Egyptians were very open sexually, rape was extremely rare in Egypt because it was considered a violation against life and the universe or Ma'At, even worse than murder and was punished accordingly. In fact, many foreginers were stunned that women could walk down the streets of Egypt alone and at night with no fear of sexual assault and of the few reports it was dealt with severely: one account I found (one of the VERY few) was of a woman who brought her husband a court official to trial for raping a servant, though the results of the trial are uncertain the fact that she was able to do this and that he was a high official and not immune to the consequences says a lot. Even during war times, Egypt saw very few accounts of rape because it was something deemed so horrible, that it shouldn't exist (and in Egypt the worse fate was non-existance) I hope this explains Yugi's reaction and also seeing that Atlantis is a very honorable country right now, I can feel them addressing the issue the same way. Granted rape and murder were extremely common during War, the only way it was avoided was if it was addressed as such: this is what Timaeus told his men and why he reacted the way he did so I hoped that was captured. That and I don't have the heart to let Yugi get raped. I don't have the emotional ability to address such a severe issue, but rest assured the attempt is still pretty terrifying and I intend to address it next chapter.
> 
> Next Time: Yugi awakens to the aftermath of the Atlantian Invasion and his capture is none other than the notorious Timaeus


	7. Waking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi awakens to the aftermath of his attack and rescue---and comes face to face with the fiercest man on earth.

_Chapter VII: Waking_

He was swaying.

It was the first thing Yugi's conscious became aware of. All other senses lost in the drifting between the conscious awareness of waking and the blissful absent darkness of sleep. He didn't as much sway, as rocked up and down, side to side, a perpetual, repetitive arch that felt almost soothing.

Slowly, his mind became aware of other things. Things less noticeable when he was awake, but cleared now that his subconscious was in control. His skin felt tight and covered in places, and airy and exposed in others. He flexed his muscles, subconsciously, and his skin was restrained by smooth, slippery, sleekness like solidified water without the wetness. Feathery delicateness brushed bare skin tickling and bundling. The ground molded to his body providing elevation and softness. His fingers flexed and brushed feathers and cloth. He could feel himself slipping into between dream-like bliss and self-awareness and he fought them with memories and facts. His subconscious mind began matching sensations to labels and things.

Blankets. Bandages, Bed. Rocking. Swaying. Water? Ships? Barks? No, not Royal Barks, but he did remembered a ship. A large ship, too large to be a Kemet Bark. Something else. Something different. Something bigger, wider, many-sailed and black like...

                                                                             

_Like Dragon Wings_. Yugi's eyes flew open. Memory returning with devastating clarity and with it an all-consuming dread. The instinct that followed propelled him upward and completely free from the grip of sleep. He became aware of his surroundings before his eyes scrutinized the detail. The walls and floor were wood not stone. The windows were glass not open slivers. And the scenery outside wasn't a single scene but stationary desert and parallel Nile rushing in the opposite direction. Examining where he was he found silk sheets not linen, the addition of a comforter, and the mattress was feathered and weightless beneath his aching bones, like a cloud. Not the stern lump he'd grown accustomed to, and the bed was a wooden box frame with four posters shoved into the corner of a room that was clearly too furnished and had too much to be his. He wasn't in Mut's temple, or Amun's, or even on Kemet soil.

"Ah, I see you've finally awakened." All breath left him in a single gasp: sudden, soundless, and frozen. He recognized the voice before he could match it to a face. That melodic baritone, so deep and syrupy it sweetened his very bones. The same voice that promised him the world before his world went black. And he knew exactly who it belonged to. His heart leapt into his throat and froze there, then dropped to his stomach.

Slowly, unwillingly, Yugi turned his head and met the bright eyes of Timaeus: one as emerald as the sea, the other a ghostly white scar. His enemy's gaze was warm and low-lidded. "Welcome back." He smiled a sliver but a twinge of arrogance hid behind it, betraying what his eyes masked well.

Fear transforming into rage and rebellion, Yugi's eyes sharpened to slits of defiance. His body sprang into action and his hand reached for some sort of weapon. A pang, like a jolt, wracked his torso. His body was suddenly aflame with agony and he slumped forward with a pitiful sound between a hiss and a shriek. Timaeus shot forward, catching him as he stumbled. Yugi fell into his arms and hated himself for his own weakness.

"Easy," he said kindly, almost concerned. "Your bruises are still healing. Moving too much will only irritate them further."

Yugi wanted to wretch, but he was in too much pain to retort.

Instead, he looked up and met Timaeus' smile with a glare. In this position and at this distance, Timaeus' face was revealed in all its glory. His face was handsome and full of angles and carried an ageless quality. Finely cut cheekbones made his smile radiate and a strong chin gave him a regal look. The scar, his only blemish, amplified whatever expression its bright, beautiful twin presented and it made him appear even gentler. He was handsome and appeared young, heartbreakingly so, but carried the maturity and wisdom of a man three times Yugi's own age. He could very well be three times his age and Yugi would never be able to tell. It made his attractiveness all the more appealing. And Yugi hated himself for it.

He held the man's gaze, but his clever fingers searched, until they felt the hilt of a knife. He enclosed a fist around it and slowly, he pulled. A calloused hand, strong from years of labor, enclosed his wrist, like a root ensnaring dirt, and squeezed. Yugi was unable to hold back a short yelp of pain but he refused to relinquish his bounty. He tightened his hold, even as his wrist and the knife were pulled away, and held above his head, not enough to cause him pain, but enough to force him to meet his enemy's face.

Timaeus regarded him with fathomless eyes and a smile of accomplished anticipation, and at once Yugi understood. "You should change your tactic, little one." He teased in surprisingly smooth Aramaic: his accent faint and hard to place but hinted of the Eastern Kingdoms. "That trick won't work twice." He paused, smile curled with no effort to hide its confidence. "Well," A purr of arrogance. "Not on me."

Yugi screamed again, but this time it was a creature of rage and defiance. His pain forgotten, his free hand curled into a fist and struck. Timaeus caught it with no effort. Yugi snarled and ripped it free before he could tighten his grip. He used the distraction to pull his other wrist free. He surrendered the knife and it dropped. Somehow, Timaeus caught it, spun to set it on the table and caught Yugi around the middle when he tried to shove Timaeus away. Yugi shrieked in fury and hammered the man's chest—hitting flesh. Through the haze of rage, he only now saw Timaeus' armor was absent, save for his mantle, boots, wrist guards and a belt protecting his hips and groin. The rest was a singular, dark silver under-armor. Anger surged through him when Timaeus grabbed his wrists. Using the new realization to his advantage, Yugi brought his knee up sharply, aiming for Timaeus. He missed his vulnerable thigh, but caught him in the hip.

It was enough. Timaeus muttered a curse and released him. Yugi didn't waste the opportunity. He spun on his heels and ran for the hold, shoving at the doors without stopping. They opened into a larger room, but he didn't pause to take in the detail. He thrust the doors open and was welcomed with a face full of blinding sunlight and river air.

Momentarily blinded, he inhaled air ripe with Nile silt and chilled with a welcoming, breeze. It tasted like freedom on his tongue. The brightness, the freshness, the air, the sound of rushing waves: it was the promise of heaven—Yugi crossed the threshold leaping like a wild stallion escaping the farmer's fence and expecting to feel grass on the other side.

Only for the dream to clear and nightmarish reality settled—and Yugi found himself in the heart of the lion's den. Meaty-armed thranites rowed massive oars in circular patterns like they were spinning sticks. Hoplites perched on rims and steps polishing spears and sharpening shields until their deadly points reflected the light. Soldiers donning the green and silver colors of their leader brandish swords and bragged of their conquests. Overhead, sailors spidered among the nets and masts like a swarm of insects. Gruff exteriors roughened by travel at sea, toughened by months of battle, and the adrenaline of the fight pumped their veins evident in their wild eyes.

Then every pair of wild eyes turned on him: what began as surprised curiosity quickly morphed into something less innocent, and far more sinister. Some branded horrible smiles of ugly teeth. Others waved arms, and Yugi noticed some had missing limbs, while others donned armor crusted with dried blood. Some licked their lips. Others cocked their heads with the innocent cruelty of a child that found a hiding animal.

Hope died in Yugi's chest. His heart dropped to his stomach leaving a hole that swelled to the edge of panic. To his horror, his body froze like a rabbit caught in the grip of a wolf. Caught, but by no means willing to surrender. They advanced on him, and Yugi backed away, panicked eyes scrutinized for a way out. With horror he realized there was none—he was on a ship in the heart of the Nile. He could never hide, not with so many eyes on him. He couldn't run: the paths were blocked by supplies and soldiers, and unlike the Precincts he didn't know its secrets. He'd only trap himself and leave himself at the mercy of murderers and pirates. He could run, but they'd catch him. He could fight but they'd easily overpower him. Have their way with him and pass him about like a broken toy to be used and discarded. Or worse, they'd do nothing, neither help nor harm, but leave him at the mercy of their captain who'd already ruthlessly killed two of them and who knew what else.

There was only one escape. He ran to the side of the ship. Panicked fingers gripped the edges. The Nile bubbled two layers down pushing foam and rough waves as the galleon piled through it, rough but not unswimmable. He could see the current sweeping towards the shore. It could carry him easily. He pulled his weight onto the ledge. His knees touched the railing. He heard screaming behind him, but he ignored it. He pivoted his feet, balancing on his heel and pushed to jump.

Cloth bunched in his front, tightening around his neck: a split-second warning before a rough jerk pulled him back and threw him against the floor of the ship with such force he nearly slid. His back screamed in rage, air was forced from his chest. He'd closed his eyes during the impact and opened them dully with a gruff of pain. Immediately, he wished he hadn't.

Timaeus stood over him, his fist had uncurled but his fingers twitched at his side, poised and light ready to strike, ready to grab. The other tightened into a fist, and all earlier kindness was gone from his face as if hadn't been there at all. Instead, it contorted to a snarl of livid fury that he did nothing to contain. But in it, barely concealed, was a heartbreaking deliverance. He stepped forward and dropped to a single knee, shaking—whether it was in rage or relief Yugi couldn't tell. He looked Yugi over with a quick nod. Yugi's mouth dried at the look of calculated fury, narrowing and blazing at the perilous stunt. The scar scrunched to mimic his snarl, before he clenched Yugi's chest in his fist and dragged him upward. Timaeus' body hunched over him, glaring down.

"Stupid, reckless brat!" He started deceptively calm but rage valorized his voice. Grim severity word punctured his every word. "Do. You. Have. _Any. Idea_ what you almost did? What you were about to do? What you nearly…" Timaeus' fists shook and for a moment Yugi feared he'd punch him. Instead, it came down into the wood missing Yugi completely, but the force was enough to splinter it. Yugi's breath froze and his defiance with it.

Timaeus shook violently, filled his cheeks with air then exhaled harshly. He retracted his fist and uncurled it. His grip on Yugi's shirt released but the boy didn't move.

"Fool." Timaeus said again, shaking. The same way he had when he spoke to those boys, but there was more pain and less anger. "Stupid fool." His hand dropped parallel with Yugi's head, curling into the wood. "Why in Hades' Tartarus would you try something so stupid? Do you honestly have such little regard for your own safety? Your life!" Each word was an enraged hiss and struck like a punch in the stomach, and Yugi was forced to bear it without swaying.

"Did you honestly think you'd survive the swim? After the flood? You who is a native to this country and knows its treachery? Did you actually think you could reach shore? Survive the waves if the crocodiles didn't get at you first? Did you?"

Yugi knew he wouldn't have. But he'd deluded himself with the falsity of hope. It was all he had. And how dare this bastard try to take that from him, even if he was right.

But Timaeus wasn't done. "Is that what you truly want: TO DIE!" Each syllable hit with the force of a savage wave: sudden and all at once until you were drowning in it.

Yugi tried to block out the words but the sheer reality and stark truth in the Trierarch's word was worse than any physical strike. Hesitantly, Yugi wondered if the punishment would've been easier if Timaeus _had_ simply slapped him for his stupidity. His entire body shuddered, his heart pounded in his chest and his mind raced with horror.

"DO YOU!" Timaeus' demanded.

Yugi broke. "I'D RATHER BE DEAD THEN BE YOUR WHORE!" He screamed. The damn of concealed emotions finally broke. He thrashed in a fit of heartbroken sobs, until he finally collapsed his wails transforming into distressed, fearful whimpers.

The outburst caught Timaeus off guard and he softened in his surprise. His natural protective instincts soared to life without his approval. That had been the _last_ thing he wanted the boy to think of his position, but what did he expect? Their first meeting hadn't given the boy any reason to trust him, least of all his situation. But how could he explain that when the brat was so ready to fly and shamelessly risk his life like it could easily be recycled? Like escape was a flower-strewed path of thornless roses to skip down, like life's perils and survival's struggle were a children's bed time story. Was he truly that naïve? Truly that desperate?

Timaeus removed a hand from his face, having forgotten when he'd put it there, or when he'd closed his eyes. The boy was still sprawled beneath him, glaring with predatory defiance and a will stronger than iron and not half as breakable, but shadowed in the purple depths was a trace of fear. A wild fear like a cornered cat before reason left it and it unleashed the full force of its animalistic fury.

Timaeus inhaled sharply and held it. Then with a calming sigh, he exhaled and promised as gently as he possibly could. "That would never have happened."

A soundless growl shuddering through his body, Yugi sat up to retort but Timaeus cut him off with a blunt. "Are you injured?"

Yugi blinked, the retort dying in his throat. Instead, came a surprised "What?"

"Did those men harm you?" he amended the questions. "Besides the bruises?"

Yugi shot up in confused fury. "What the devil are you—"

"I'm asking if you're alright," Timaeus said, forcing his tone to be patient. It only infuriated Yugi more. How dare this man speak to him like he was some disobedient child! He shot up, his mouth open to release a string of Kemet curses, but a third voice caught him off guard and his rage vanished.

"Oh my." Both boys turned to the surprised gasp of the interloper. He stood taller than them both in a loose white and blue robe with a silver and blue chain of status tied around his waist. A spiked wave of aqua hair was tamed by a silver circlet of sovereignty and an emerald bearing the helm of a blue stone shimmered at his neck. Both knew him. Both recognized him, though it was the first time Yugi had seen the man's face.

King Dartz of Atlantis stood with his face frozen. His golden eyes widened like a child who walked in on something he wasn't supposed to. Something inappropriate. A tiny smile formed at his face and he rose a hand just in time to stifle a laugh. His next words followed a snort. "How did this little debacle occur, I wonder?" He said like a servant girl barely able to keep silent about a conquest.

Yugi felt his cheeks grow warm. Timaeus' face flamed. The position they'd taken during the spat suddenly becoming embarrassingly apparent. Timaeus regained his composure first and hopped up. He grabbed Yugi's arm and with a gentle yank hauled him up, but he didn't let go. Yugi tried to pull it free but Timaeus only tightened his grip in warning. Yugi understood and reluctantly surrendered. He was right to not believe he wouldn't flee.

"Our guest," Timaeus explained drawing up his mantle with his free arm and draping it over the smaller boy's shoulder. "Over reacted upon waking. And in his panic sought a rather," he paused and looked down at his captive then coughed into his hand. "Reckless attempt at flight."

Yugi bowed his head with shame. The mawkish details nowhere near as humiliating as the stern paternal tone, far gentler and less brutally honest than the voice Timaeus had used to scold him.

"I see," Dartz said flatly, asking for no further details. He turned to Yugi, eyes soft with repent. "Please allow me to offer my sincerest apologies," he bowed slightly to meet Yugi's eyes but he spoke to him as he would a man, not a child or a woman. "Let me assure you now, we mean you absolutely no harm, nor shall any harm befall you while you are under Atlantis protection. I'm sure you have many questions and let me start by asking, is your name Yugi?"

Yugi sucked in a breath. "How do you know that?" The name was a sacred promise: it has been heard but many, but shared and spoken only by those with permission to use it. Those closest to his heart or closest to his mother who gave it to him, and his father who gave all his children "secret" names reserved for private sharing amongst themselves when decorum and image held no power over them. Remembering someone else who'd called him by that name, his eyes shot to Timaeus. His smile confirmed Yugi's fears. His attention diverted back to Dartz who gave him a reassuring smile that was matched by his gaze.

"How do you know that name?" Yugi demanded, but shock strangled the words.

Dartz offered a hand. "We were sent here on a very special mission by someone very close to you. The new Pharaoh Psusennes I." Yugi looked at him with confused eyes and Dartz amended his dialect. "Forgive me; I believe you know him better as Per-Ah Pasebakhaenniut."

"Pase sent you!" Yugi said the nickname without thinking. He broke free from the shelter of Timaeus' cloak and forgetting all decorum in his desperation grabbed Dartz's hand. "Where is he?" Where's Muth? Are they alright? Please tell me?"

"They're fine," Dartz said with a smile and held up a reassuring palm. "They're waiting for you and the hem-netjer in Djanet." Dartz explained. "Your brother feared for your safety in their care, but he could not risk a civil war between them. It is why he asked for our aid. He knows full well they plotted against him, but seeking to end the battle without bloodshed he offered Atlantis an alliance. One I was pleased to accept." Dartz knelt down to Yugi's ear as if whispering a secret. "But he specifically asked we free _you_ above all else."

Yugi's eyes widened. He understood when Dartz pulled away and nodded firmly when he met the King's eyes. Pase was going to become King. He could rule Kemet as Per-Ah but not unite it, not so long as the Divine Servants of Amun held their sway over the desert and their power over the Gods in the eyes of the people. Attacking them, imprisoning them and forcing them to accept his reign would make him a tyrant in the eyes of the people, just like letting them make all his decisions would make him appear weak, little better than a figurehead. Though he secretly hoped he'd return for him, Yugi knew it was impossible. Muth could come, but not Pase. At the moment father died, Kemet became his, and with it, all her treasures and burdens. Kemet would _always_ come first. Before anything else. Before his family. Before his Great Royal Wife. Even before a single boy whose love could be used against him. The only option to solve the matter peacefully was with the aid of a "mutual" third party. _Pase could not have chosen a better strategy_. Yugi thought.

"It is also why I had my most trusted Knight lead the invasion," Dartz eyes drifted to Timaeus who'd stood strategically placed between Yugi and the king, and the wandering eyes of his crew behind him.

When the attention returned to him, he donned the persona of a knight and bowed, graciously, "Timaeus of Locri, Leader of the Dragon Knights and Trierarch of the _Eye of Timaeus_ , at your service." He spoke it like it were a joke, but he carried the arrogance of his title as dashingly as he wore his mantle and armor. Yugi regained his composure but kept his face hard.

"I knew he would secure the priests and their conspirers with as minimal damage as possible." Dartz concluded.

"So they're safe?" Yugi challenged the knight, but not the King.

Timaeus nodded. "Everyone was apprehended carefully." He explained evenly. "My soldiers were given the strictest order: our mission was to capture and apprehend _nothing more_." He stressed the word. "Resistance was dealt with swiftly and any injured were taken and treated by our physician including yourself. Servants and slaves are currently residing in the lower quarters, the hem-netjer in the brigs, as they'd done nothing but swear vengeance upon me. As for the two soldiers you…" he paused and amended his words when Yugi's neutral mask hardened. "Who attacked you, they are both dead."

"You killed them," Yugi whispered a hiss. It was a statement and a harsh one.

"Yes," Timaeus made no effort to deny it. "They disobeyed me when they struck you, and lost all hope of redemption when they attempted to molest you, and in a temple of all places," he let his rage and betrayal bleed into the last part, before composing himself. "They knew what they were doing and they knew the consequences and they were the stupidest of fools to think they'd be given mercy. I'd warned them countless times and they still disobeyed. My only regret is that I did not arrived sooner. Perhaps had I did you'd have less bruises."

If his sincerity was an act, Yugi couldn't tell. Those terrible memories swarmed in his mind like a plague of locus, filling him with dread and horror. Tears pricked his eyes from sheer helplessness more than anything else. His hands rubbed his arms, suddenly feeling chilly in the heat. He couldn't deny he'd felt a sick satisfaction when he'd seen them both die. Seeing them weak, and helpless, and crying for mercy. It satisfied him even as it filled him with pity. Pity that died as soon as it was over and everything was brought into context.

Guilt squeezed Timaeus' sinking heart at the boy's distress. He lifted his mantle, which Yugi had thrown off in his haste, and it fell limply over his arm. He draped it over the boy's shoulders and to his relief, Yugi stopped crying.

The cloak fell over Yugi's shoulders protectively like a dragon's wing. The gesture surprised him as first, but not nearly as much as the comfort it brought. He remembered when the man had done this before. How grateful he'd been and how he'd thought his prayers answered when the green Shadow stopped his attackers and saved him. Saved him. He realized. Regardless of who it was or how it was done, he _had_ been saved. He could ponder the possible futures and its darkest moments, remind himself over and over how close it had come, how all it took was a few more second or minutes, but the fact was it hadn't. It hadn't happened and it would never happen. His attackers were dead. Dead with their blood draining from ugly wounds and their bodies probably rotting in the desert. Certainly not how they expected their lives to end, if they expected to be punished at all. Their end was fitting: the brutality a simple reflection of their attempted crime.

His shadow, no, not a shadow, Timaeus, though it burned him to admit it, had saved him. And he was safe now. Safe under the protection of the Atlantis and its King and on his way to reunite with his brother and sister who loved him. Menk and Maat would never be able to control him again. Perhaps it hasn't been what he expected, but wasn't this what he wanted? A way to reunite with his family? Surely, it wasn't a coincidence Timaeus had arrived just at the time he'd needed him most. Just after he'd finished his prayers even? Had Mut-Sekhmet not given him strength in his hour of need and sent him a protector as well. Yugi wanted to laugh. Wanted to cry. Instead, he just smiled and wiped his eyes, the smallest of laughs escaping him as the cloak fell over his arms.

 _The Gods certainly work in mysterious ways._ He laughed to himself for ever being doubtful. _But they're always listening_.

Timaeus smiled at the boy's change in demeanor. He didn't expect his trauma to recover quickly, but perhaps the knowledge that he was indeed safe was a start. Carefully, he stepped forward and did the claps of the cape, keeping it together, though it was made for armor and hung comically off one of Yugi's shoulders, Timaeus found it almost cute.

"You fought bravely, by the way." He whispered as he did the second clasp. Yugi looked at him with confused eyes. "Those boys were the worst of my soldiers but they were still formidable forces and you fought them like they were children bullying a stray. Were circumstances different, I'd have no doubt you would've escaped them easily. Be proud of that fire, little one. That is what saved you more than I."

Yugi blushed at the comment and pulled the cloak tighter around his shoulder. "Thank you," he said reluctantly, though the reassuring words _did_ make him feel better. "They weren't the first brutes I fought."

"Really?" Timaeus raised an impressed brow. "That doesn't surprise me. You fight like a tigress." He chuckled and Yugi's eyes doubled at the bold statement. Timaeus saw his gaping mouth and laughed. "I should know, given you've attacked _me_ twice. Your limbs are quiet powerful. Had it been anyone else you fought, you'd have escaped both times."

Was he praising him? The thought made Yugi's spine arch in a pleasant shudder and his cheeks burn.

Timaeus smiled at the boy's surprised blush. He moved to speak again but an obvious cough caused them both to turn. Timaeus spun in the King's direction and Yugi followed just now remembering he was still there.

Dartz expression was one of humor and knowledge, curled like he'd just figured out a secret. "I am pleased to see that issue is settled," he said with a chuckle, and it was a miracle of their wills both men stayed composed. "As such, it's only fitting young Ujalah remains here," Dartz's smiled with playful sinister, catching the confused expressions of both boys. It almost made him feel guilty for his next decision, but it was the best one, he knew. He's braced himself for their horrified his expressions before he finished the sentence. "In _your_ care, Timaeus."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heehee...I trust that should satisfy you all and keep you guessing until next week ;) Rest assured next update will be on time (Friday) EARLY!
> 
> I had SO much fun writing this chapter! Especially after how tough last chapter was this one was so much fun. I'm surprised how long these chaps are taking though...but oh well.
> 
> Next Time: Tim and Yugi's reaction to Dartz's request, a new and familiar face makes an appearance and Timaeus has a little "talk" with his men after Haga and Rex's horrific betrayl.


	8. Trierarch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi and Timaeus' reaction to Dartz' decision, a familiar face joins the cast, and Timaeus addresses his men about Haga and Rex's actions and informs Yugi about the "conditions" of his stay.

_Chapter VIII: Trierarch_

Neither man spoke. Yugi's eyes expanded in shock, and his mouth opened and closed like a fish's gasping for air. Timaeus had not moved or spoken a word, but his stance indicated one false step and his balance would be lost.

Dartz was unsurprised by the reactions. His mouth remained a neutral, dignified line, but his eyes smiled. "I trust that won't be a problem?"

Timaeus unfroze and coughed into his hand clearing his throat and giving him time to collect himself. "With all due respect, Your Highness," he spoke with as much grace as he could muster. "As Trierarch, I have other duties I need to oversee during this voyage. Perhaps our guest would be better left in our Physician's care?" He suggested but his argument was a desperate squeak.

Rebellious annoyance replaced Yugi's shock and he stepped forward, purposely shoving Timaeus out of his way. "King Dartz," he bowed his head out of respect but met the man's eye when he came up. "I am extremely grateful for your kindness and generosity, but please understand, I am not a child and as such I do not need, nor want a caretaker. I'm grateful for your aid and I am aware of your promise to the Per-Ah but I'd much rather earn my keep."

Dartz looked at them both but remained unyielding. "I understand both your concerns well," he assured, then his mask become a frown. "But I'm afraid I cannot adhere to either of your requests." He silenced their stunned protests with a gaze of regal authority. His eyes hardened with adamant. "You, Ujalah, are a guest on this ship and I have no desire to offend Psusennes by having you work like a common servant. You owe me nothing in regards to your transport. Second, you are still recovering from your injuries. Whether you believe they are severe or not is irrelevant, the fact is you were attacked and you need to recover. As such, I am not permitting you to leave until our physician agrees you are fully healed. Until then, I cannot permit you to wander on your own. Second, you were attacked by _our_ men." He'd stressed the word with a growl of furious betrayal. Worse than the fury he'd seen on Timaeus when he'd struck his traitorous comrades down.

"I will explain the situation to him," Yugi argued, quickly. "I know those men were acting against orders, he will understand if I—"

Dartz cut him off with a sharp, low bark. "They were _our_ men. Timaeus is their Trierarch, and I am their King. I am responsible for all of my general's men _and_ their actions. If even a single soldier falters, then all those who remain must know the consequences of their comrades actions, need they start to think they can escape prosecution for a similar crime." He looked at the men when he said those words. Yugi opened his mouth to protest but suddenly he felt their curiosity focused on him: curiosity in the forms of leers, glares, glimpses, and spare glances; and he could not ponder a single argument that didn't sound childish.

Dartz continued unaffected. "While I have nothing but faith in Timaeus' soldiers I have no desire to risk your safety. When we arrive in Djanet you will be returned to Psusennes where your safety will be assured. Until then, you will remain in Timaeus' care. That is not negotiable."

Yugi wanted to protest. It was on his lips and in his eyes but the words twisted in his throat and instead of elegance all he could manage was desperate silence and a growl of silent frustration.

"As for you, Timaeus," Dartz turned to his General and found his head bowed reluctantly like a child being patronized. "There is a reason I only trusted you with locating young Ujalah, and why I trust only you to see to his care." He said with a smile. "Your loyalty is unquestionable and your strength is unmatched. You are also," he paused and his smile widened. With a laugh he said "Chivalrous to an absolute fault."

Timaeus couldn't suppress a chuckle. Yugi's mouth dropped and he stared at the King in shock. Timaeus? The most ruthless of Atlantis' Dragon Knights? Who killed two of his own men, however wretched they might've been, without blinking an eye; and who in the short time they'd known each other had disarmed him twice, knocked him out once, and restrained him physically both times? This man was chivalrous?

"It makes you the perfect protector." Dartz summarized, "And is why I can only trust our guest's care to you. I know you will both keep him safe and keep your men in line, and ensure our guest does not pursue anything reckless while he recovers. How far that protection goes is completely up to you, but I will see your care, Ujalah, in no one else's hands but yours, Timaeus. This is not negotiable." Dartz addressed them both. His last words were spoken with sovereign severity and held no room for argument.

Timaeus bowed to the waist, obediently. A protest formed on Yugi's lips, but, wisely, he said nothing.

"We will arrive in Djanet in two days' time." Dartz concluded and turned to retreat back to his cabin. "Now I suggest you return to your quarters, Yugi, you've had quite a day."

"Wait, your Highness," Yugi called politely. "Where will I be staying?"

Dartz turned over his shoulder with a bemused smile. "I believe I made myself clear on that." There was a chuckle in his voice and he left with that. Yugi blinked, puzzled. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around.

Timaeus retracted a bemused hand. He looked at Yugi puzzled. "You heard him, little one, back to bed." He gestured with a finger towards the aftercastle.

The words sank in and Yugi's heart dropped. His face grew hot and his cheeks burned. "No." he said firmly but too quickly for it to sound definitive. "No. No. No. No! I refuse!"

Timaeus rolled his eyes. "Don't be childish." He chided with the bored patience of waiting out a child's tantrum.

It made Yugi's protest even more venomous. "Don't patronize me!"

Timaeus' brow furrowed over a frown. Yugi's untrusting glare expected betrayal and did not soften. "I will not stay in your room, let alone share your bed."

This time both of Timaeus' brows arched high in surprise, then, in a brief moment of clarity, furrowed with vilified offense. "Don't be vulgar!" He shot forward in a deterrent retort, stung and infuriated by the insult. And judging from the bold brat's grin, Yugi took devilish pleasure in seeing him riled.

 _Stubborn devil._ An impatient hand scrunched over his face then settled on the bridge of his nose. His eyes scrunched in frustration. "You are in my care and thus under my protection." He said as patiently as possible. "As such, I am tasked with ensuring your safety, and if it eases your mind that includes your…" He paused and took the hand away. With a glanced he summed him up quickly. "Virtue."He said flatly. "Second," He said brightly with the slit of a smile on his face. The corners of it curled with he saw Yugi's own devilish grin falter. "I am much more," The pause was on purpose. " _Chivalrous_ with my lovers than that."

He watched Yugi's face blanch then suffuse with color. His smile curled with triumph.

The coquetry rolled off his tongue with ease of someone well experienced in the art he boasted. And in that same contralto that had not that very morning seduced him with promises. Yugi choked on the breath he drew. Shivering with an unwelcome emotion caught between delight and dread.

"Th-Th-that…" His hatred and fury was a stutter in his throat that he failed to free. "That will never happen." He spat, and his hands balled to fists at his sides. The cloak fell open exposing the secret it concealed.

Timaeus was about to argue the slip had been a joke, but he sensed the ears of the crew prickling at the argument, and their eyes following to inappropriate places. Quickly, he shifted in front of his charge, snatched the tail of the cloak halfway and snapped it closed. It encased the smaller body without a hint of trouble, but the owner was far more reluctant.

"What are you do—"Yugi snatched at the cape trying to pull away but Timaeus evaded his hands and growled in a low hiss "Stop that! Are you trying to expose yourself?"

Yugi stopped and blinked. "What?"

Timaeus looked at him puzzled. Then for the uncounted time in the last hour, he pinched the bridge between his nose. "Of course," he said to himself. He caught Yugi staring at him curiously. Timaeus looked him over through the creases of his fingers, trying desperately not to be obvious. Suddenly, Yugi felt exposed, but couldn't figure out why. He was dressed wasn't he? And he looked down to confirm it, the mantle still open. And his entire body suffused with color.

He was indeed clothed, but not in his shenti, that he just now remembered had been shredded. He was draped in a pillowy-sleeved silken smooth sheath woven so light and thin it was practically lucid, and so short it barely covered this thigh. The worst, he realized: it was opened in the back. The long sleeves covered his shoulders but it tapered to a V exposing the long white channel of his spine to his tailbone. It was alarming. Good Ra, the bandages covered more skin! Even more horrifying it was true: soft but strong, possibly cotton bandages wrapped around sore spots covering what he knew must've been bruises. One even patched his cheek and covered his upper left thigh. But they still covered more skin than that damn smock did!

His hands flew to the hems to pull it down, but all he managed were hesitant tugs, certain the gossamers would dissolve under his strength. Too heavy a hand and it might rip completely leaving him naked. Naked and exposed. "To Ammut's belly and back!" he mumbled in a low, aggravated curse. At least his shenti had reached his knees.

He grabbed the cloak's tails and pulled it taunt in a cocoon wrap, hoping to pin it in place somehow. But even with it he felt naked and humiliated. Native to such a hot climate, nudity and bare skin was common practice in Kemet, but it was a completely different situation in such a foreign collection of fabrics, and surrounded by foreign eyes. Not even in a complete outfit it felt like. And in the presence of Timaeus of Locri, no less. Yugi's never felt so exposed in his life. At least Timaeus had been enough of a gentleman to surrender his cloak.

He'd heard snickers ahead of him and his embarrassment plundered into mortified horror. He nearly died on his feet, when he reluctantly looked up and found the entire ship staring at him. No, staring would've been kinder. Their looks were snickers and snorts with no effort of concealment, and bright with naughty secrets. On their lips were the exchanges of gossip and inappropriate bets. Spotlighted by countless eyes, only Yugi's pride, or rather what was left of it, kept him from fainting. It only grew worse when he realized just _whose_ cloak he was wearing. Ra and Apopis, they probably thought him their Trierarch's wet and willing mistress, not a victim rescued from two of their own.

Yugi was about to hide his face in shame and hope he'd disappear, when an animalistic growl froze his feet in place. He hadn't seen Timaeus turn around but Yugi noticed it now. Timaeus' face was a snarl of disgust, his fingers curled into fists of barely restrained fury and his spine arched up and his head lowered like an enraged jungle beast ready to pounce at a single insult. This wasn't his captor who wore superiority like a richly embroidered mantle. Nor the soldier whose loyalty would lay down his life for his King. No, this was the Trierarch. _Their_ Trierarch. Their _General_. And their General was angry.

"Stay here," he ordered but gave Yugi neither time nor room to answer. He spun to the aftercastle and marched up the stairs with an aura of unquestioned authority. He drew his sword on the way up and slammed it down against the metal of the banister and dragged it like he was sharpening it for battle. The blade itself was a curved, shinning thing like a fallen moon and came down with the same promise of darkness and death. The collision of metal was a smooth biting shriek like a phantom crying. The sound was a warning that echoed like a dying scream and the men, wisely, silenced.

Timaeus pulled it back to his side when he reached the heart of the aft, but he did not sheathe the blade. Though absent his armor and cloak, Timaeus looked no less intimidating without them. Worse, in Yugi's mind, it made him look more so. The silver under-armor clung to him like a second skin, molding muscles that were corded and strong, broad shoulders that accentuated a firm chest and robust hips that tapered to slender legs, long and powerful. He was like a sculpted god: beautiful, nearly ethereal, but terrifyingly powerful. The crown of his black and azure hair and circlet of silver bangs adorned him with a regalness even the finest monarchy jewelry could mimic. His jeweled eyes completed the image: one an emerald, ferocious and shining bright as danger, the other a sealed pearl with an angry red crack that only accentuated whatever emotion its twin had chosen. Like a Gorgon's eyes: secretive and shadowed.

The men were frozen under it. Their faces became those of blind obedience and life-giving loyalty, but it would earn them no compliment.

"Men." The deep, clear sound of his voice cut through the air, carrying like a gong over the screech of birds. "We have taken Amun-Ra in the name of Psusennes I. We have taken the High Priests and their interlopers into custody. And most of all we have done so without spilling a drop of blood." Despite the elegance, it didn't sound like praise. He confirmed it wasn't. "But I cannot call our mission a success."

There was a deliberate pause. The soldier's neutral masks faltered most in shock, but some in shame. "As I'm sure you have noticed. Two of our comrades are no longer with us." He swept the gathering of his soldiers with a neutral gaze. Then his eyes slit. "They broke my word, by raising their hands in violence against my express command. But worse," He peered into the heart of his army. "They committed dishonor." His baritone which was usually smooth and melodic was dangerously low, rough-edged and razor-sharp with disgust. Even Yugi felt the words shiver down his spine.

"You remember well out Articles of Agreement. You know well, your names signed in blood and the promise you agreed upon when you became my men. You know dishonor is the worst of all crimes and more importantly you know its forms." There was no scolding in his voice. Not even fury, only disgust, and worse, disappointment. "So did they," he did not say their names. They didn't deserve the luxury. "And it shames me that I must repeat them. But an army is only as strong as its weakest lad, and you _are_ an army and a crew. You are _my_ army, and if one man falls to the sin of dishonor then so do we all, and so I have failed and Atlantis must bear the shame. But in justice's name it is only he who, given the choice and chose the wrong action, who bears the punishment. You know my honor and you know the price should you disobey it:" He began to list them drilling each word with vehement.

"You know that if a man takes any treasure from a place we invade without permission or if he conceals or fails to place such a treasure in the great fund, then he is to be expelled from the army and left to a deserted isle with only a jug of water, a loaf of bread and a single subtle knife. If he can earn the Gods' forgiveness he may return. If he does not then he shall perish. You know if a man shall be drunk on duty or indulge in such then he shall receive the same fate. You know that if anyone should slay a man against my express command then he shall receive the same fate. But you also know if anyone should slay an innocent be it man, woman, or child, be it farmer, soldier, or elder, then He is to be thrown to the sea or the desert with no food and no water and no blade, so that he may die slowly for the life he has stolen. And worst of all…" His pause was deliberate and piercing, and he let his glare linger several times on soldiers who withered beneath it. "If _anyone_ should molest a woman, man, or child captive, be it on this ship or on land invaded against their will, or should he attempt it…" Another pause and the silence that followed was more dreadful than a scream. "Then he shall receive no punishment worse than immediate and torturous death, for there is no forgiving the most appalling of acts. Your comrades knew. They courted death and were foolish to think I'd grant them mercy…and I dealt them their fate." His promise was raw and they knew what it meant.

Timaeus stepped back from the railing then, his gaze no less piercing. "We are The Eye of Timaeus, we are the Dragon Warriors of Atlantis. Remember your Honor men, for without Honor, there is only villainy."

Only then did he sheath his sword, and leave the aft. On his descent down he added. "On to another matter, we have a guest among us, and I expect you all to treat him with the same level of respect you would show a guest in your home. Be aware, he is under my protection and should any of you seek to harm him, you will know the end of my blade before you can draw your sword." The casual air in which he'd said it made the promise all the more menacing. He didn't need to look at Yugi for them to know he was the "guest" but Yugi felt spotlighted by it, and at the same time was grateful for the defense.

Still shivering from the intensity of the incident Yugi hadn't realized Timaeus had stopped in front of him, and jumped back when he suddenly found him in his line of vision. Timaeus' eyes fell on Yugi's bandages and his expression was no longer hard but softened.

"Back to bed, little one. I'll have no more of it." The tone was gentle and Timaeus sent him off with a shove to the small of his back. The gesture could've almost been fraternal if the tone wasn't punctured with finality.

Timaeus barked the name of a soldier and he came without hesitation. "Send for the physician," he ordered. "Have her come to my room."

The soldier gasped. He was about to say the physician was still treating the captives but when the piercing gaze of that single emerald eye fell on him he silenced. "Go!"

The soldier turned on his heels and obeyed, and Yugi trembled as he was once more left alone with the Trierarch. Then a shrill screech in words he couldn't make out boomed over the chattering whine of ship-hands. They cleared a path for its owner, like vultures scared from carrion by a lion's roar.

To Yugi's surprise, the physician was a girl. Raised among Sekhmet's disease slayers where a woman's gentle hand and fierce devotion in the art of healing was not uncommon, Yugi was unsurprised by her gender. But those were woman, and she looked more like a girl.

When she arrived, Yugi saw that she _was_ a girl. With a round face, a button nose, and a spray of freckles across her milky pink cheeks, prettier than the chalky tans of the men or his and Timaeus' olive skin. Her eyes were a conundrum: childishly large, but hard and green. Golden hair, sun-bleached yellow, cascaded in a singular bounce down her back and over the smooth globe of her bosom, perfectly proportioned to her small body. Nothing girlish there. She looked younger than him and none of the hem-netjer Yugi met had ever been _this_ young.

Or this fearless. Kemet women never feared men, especially not Sekhmet's, but this girl swaggered through the gathering with a bossy stomp in sheer defiance of her size. A lithe, wisp of a thing, but her presence nearly rivaled Timaeus' with its intimidation. She carried flawless power and easy grace of a lioness, and stopped every few steps to bark dictations on better personal care to selected soldiers. These soldiers were not but flies she batted with her tail.

In Timaeus presence, the lioness retracted her claws and smiled like a kitten waiting to be petted for catching a mouse. She cocked her head in a birdlike fashion, gazing past her master and at him. Yugi expected hard eyes, but instead she released a tiny shriek and spun Yugi around and shoved him back inside. Over her shoulder Yugi heard her shrieking. "What in Hades is he doing up?" She was yelling at Timaeus. "I told you, bed rest if you expect bone bruises to heal by tomorrow."

Timaeus strolled ahead of her saying nothing. Yugi caught him rolling his eyes. He shoved the doors open and took up residence against the wall, arms crossed in superiority and one leg braced the wall behind him.

The Physician shoved Yugi into Timaeus' room, yanked the cloak over his head and with a shove he tumbled back onto the bed then proceeded to remove a green glass bottle and a cluster of bandages from a leather satchel tied around her waist. Unlike the rest of the crew she wore a simple, strapless dress tied criss-cross in the front with silver ribbons. She undid two of them with a single tug, and tied her hair into two messy coils.

"Sit up," She sat down and leaned over him. He did so and she grabbed his chin and gazed scrutinizing into his eyes. Left, then right. She squeezed his chin in a silent order and he opened his mouth. She released him when her examination was complete then smiled. "You're a tough boy." She praised scooping up handfuls of bandages that pooled over her fingers. "Not many can withstand a beating from a single Dragon Warrior, especially Lord Timaeus'. Let alone two."

"Don't call me boy," Yugi snapped, more offended than harsh. "I haven't been a boy since I was twelve."

"Really?" She grinned over her shoulder at the Trierarch, gathering bandages and the bottle in her lap. "And how old might you be?"

He heard the joke, but Yugi answered anyway. "Nineteen renpets."

The cork popped off the bottle without the physician's consent, filling the air with a mildewing smell like dried leeks. Even Timaeus' eyes bulged. Abandoning the wall he strolled forward, his shock recovered. "If your age is true, then why aren't you married? I thought young men came of age younger than that in your country?"

"They do," Yugi shrugged his shoulders. "But they're supposed to learn a trade first, and I was trained with my mother, so the opportunity never prevented itself." Timaeus sensed there was more to the story, but knew Yugi wouldn't elaborate. "Besides," Yugi chuckled at their surprise and jerked a thumb to the physician. "She looks younger than me."

"Rebecca, if you don't mind," The physician girl corrected with a hearty laugh, readjusting the bottle with a smirk.

"That doesn't answer my question," Timaeus said once more crossing his arms in superiority. "If you have not been a child that long why was one not arranged for you?"

Again, Yugi shrugged. "It just never happened, and regardless it doesn't matter now," There was an easy smile as he said it, but the way he slit his brows told another story. One that demanded silence.

Instead of anger, however, Timaeus' eyes sparkled with a challenge: bold as air and bright as danger. "I'd like to hear that story?"

Yugi growled and squeezed the bed silks between angry fingers.

"Don't let him rile you," She held a hand to her mouth like she was whispering a secret. "He likes to make sport of teasing." She giggled knowing full well he could hear her. Timaeus rolled his eyes with a sigh of annoyance and braced himself against his desk. His eyes looking skyward.

"Then again," Rebecca teased. "When I met him, he'd just become Trierarch and made it his personal mission to drive everyone in his service to the point of sheer misery. His daily goal was to make everyone sick before lunch. Oh," she clasped her palms to her cheeks in a dramatic V. "Those were dark days for me."

Yugi laughed. He liked this girl.

"Stop conspiring, Rebecca," Timaeus snapped. "Check his bruises."

"Alright, alright," She conceded with a pout and grabbed Yugi's sleeve. "Give me your arm!" Yugi nearly shrieked when she yanked down the shoulder fearing it would rip. He exhaled in relief when it didn't. She unwove it with speedy fingers like a reverse weaver and ran a finger along the pale, dotted flesh. He hissed when she touched them. The worst were black and purple but most were a sickly yellow and didn't cause him much pain.

Rebecca smiled like a man doctor, her experiment a success. "My balm's working beautifully!" she clapped her hands together with glee. Retrieving the bottle, she dotted the yellow one with tiny drops, but lathered the larger ones before reapplying fresh bandages, then started making quick work of the rest, tearing down the rest of his smock as he did so.

Yugi protested the quickness, but she swatted away his hands. He caught Timaeus staring and tried pulled up his sleeve with a glare then yelped when Rebecca pushed up the hem of his smock, revealing his smooth thigh. Timaeus arched a brow at the other's panicked look, and watched him pull on the hem of his smock with desperate fingers. His thighs snapped together, despite Rebecca's complaint. His lip trembled pulled back by nervous teeth and when Yugi looked at him again, the glare was marred by an almost desperate plea.

Sighing in understanding, Timaeus pushed himself off the desk and spun to face the opposite wall. His eyes slid closed. "My eyes are closed now." He said with an unhappy patience, but smiled at the silence. It meant the little one was blushing. "I've told you before, you are under my protection and it means no harm shall come to you."

Yugi snorted then growled under his tongue. "Does that include protection _from_ you?" he hadn't meant to say it out loud, but he'd heard it. Timaeus spun, but instead of anger, Yugi saw only…amusement? Apep's devils that couldn't be good.

"That's enough, Rebecca." He dismissed her with the wave of a hand. "I'll finish his bandages."

"Over my sarcophagus!" Yugi shot to his feet and forced down a hiss when his sore limbs punished him with a rush of pain. He put up no residence when Rebecca shoved him down and forcefully pressed a hand to his chest, trapping him against the pillows. Her face was a warning growl as she gathered her things but left the salve bottle and bandages on the bedside. But Yugi only glared at his captor.

To his fury, Timaeus only shook his head. Disappointed maybe? The tiny smile hinted more at amusement, but his eyes sparkled bright with the hope of a challenge. He waited until Rebecca left, then swooped in with slow, teasing steps, and it sickened Yugi how they made his heart pound.

"Be stubborn then," he challenged. His smile dangerously light with a chuckle. "But we both know I'll have no trouble holding you down. I'd prefer not to but I will if I must."

"Oh no you won't!" Rebecca popped her head back in, one of her coils undone, the other in mid removal, giving her a wild look. "I've already used up most of my salve on him because you couldn't stand the thought his flesh being scarred, and I have to save the rest for the return home, unless Djanet's willing to share its rations with me?" Her whine traveled even as she pulled her head back.

"Leave Rebecca." Timaeus said in a flat order, and didn't move again until the door closed.

He took a seat on the bed and Yugi backed against the headboard, fingers tugging on the hem of his sheath. Fortunately, Rebecca had replaced most of the bandages already, leaving only his opposite arm unbound. Compared to its twin, it was relatively clean save for the shoulder, littered with cuts and scrapes from being pulled and pushed over rough stone.

"Let me see it," Timaeus said patiently, gesturing with the curl of his hand, the bottle of Rebecca's palm in the other. "If it'll ease your worries, I promise not to hurt you. I may be responsible for my men but I am not them. And I gave my King my word I'd see to your care."

Yugi glared and reluctantly surrendered his shoulder. He watched Timaeus' hands like Horus' hawk until he was done, and yanked his arm away and pulled up his sleeve. "I still don't trust you."

"Nor do I expect you to." Timaeus said almost in a yawn, it sounded so expectant. "But you have no need to worry about your safety or my men," He promised with an assuring smile, that almost made Yugi feel hopeful.

"Because henceforth you are confined to these chambers." And just like that it died.

"What!" Yugi shot up fired.

"Until you are deemed fully healed, and after that you shall accompany me wherever I go. That will be for your own safety." Timaeus continued as if Yugi hadn't reacted at all.

"I refuse," Yugi protested firmly. "Your King said I am a guest and as a guest I demand freedom."

"I'm aware of that, little one," Timaeus leaned back balancing himself on one arm, his right leg crossed regally over the other. He seemed relaxed, almost lazy, his eyes half-lidded and entirely sure of himself.

Then he leaned forward and with bright eyes chuckled "But I trust you like I trust a leech not to bite me. You've already fled once, and I have no guarantee you won't try to recklessly escape again."

"I thought I was being held captive!" He defended his actions. "What would you have me do? Lie still and do as I'm told on a ship of possible pirates and strangers?"

"Regardless of the reason," Timaeus said his eyes brows knitted together over narrowed eyes. "You should never be willing to throw your life away." He'd said it like he'd contemplated it himself. It made Yugi curious, but just like that the shadow was gone and he was the Trierarch once again.

"Now then," He rose to his feet without the slightest uncertainty. "You will remain at my side until Djanet. You will not leave until Rebecca clears you. As you are under my protection you answer to no one but me. You fear no one but me, and only if you disobey me." He drew himself closer as he said he, curling a forefinger under Yugi's chin and giving it a tilt with his thumb. "Which shall not be a problem unless you plan to play me false?"

Yugi wanted to slap the smirk off his face and squeezed the sheets to keep from doing just that. He smiled like a cat: aloof and in control. All the crème was his and he knew it, and he flaunted it. But he was not some obedient toy. He would not give this man the pleasure of craving his attention, nor would he give it.

Instead of glaring, he smirked. His lotus eyes lit with lavender sparkles igniting a challenge. "And if I don't?" He said clear and confident. He would teach the cat to come when it's called.

Timaeus paused. His smirk didn't falter, but his thumb pressed tighter into his chin, the forefinger dragging it up with force. "You intrigue me, Yugi," he admitted with a purr. "I know not what your involvement in all this is or if you truly are only a simple sibling caught in the scuffle, but whatever your role, you intrigue me, and I'd hate to have to." The pause was deliberate. " _Punish_ you".

Yugi was about to ask what he meant when Timaeus suddenly released him. He fell back in shock and Timaeus spun towards the door. He'd already left by the time Yugi recovered enough to process the words. With a pounding heart, he remembered the dark promises he'd made to his men earlier that hour and his spine curled in a shiver. He remembered the merciless way he'd dispatched his wayward rapists. He remembered the way he'd drawn his sword both times, of the viscous, metallic shriek: a warning and a promise. Both dark and final.

Yugi gulped, but his throat was dry with horror as he realized _that_ was Timaeus' idea of punishment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How awesome was Timaeus' speech to his men? God I love writing him in those scenes! but I hope to show some other sides of him soon too ;) Timaeus speech was very loosely based on the articles of agreement in Captain Blood (the Errol Flyn film cool movie) specifically the tough but fairness of the trials and rules, and especially like his one about molesting woman since i could so see Timaeus doing that, but I made Timaeus' punishments a lot harsher for obvious reasons.
> 
> And as i promises a familiar face joins the cast ;) I hope you all like Rebecca ;) Originally i wanted to go with Ryou for the Physician but I wanted to be more original. Val suggested either Leon or Rebecca so I went with Rebecca cause given this is a ship full of sailors and soldiers I wanted someone tough enough to handle them and keep them on their toes so i went with her!
> 
> I gotta say i LOVED writing Rebecca! Boy have I come a long way since i wrote her in Dragon rose huh? But I gotta say after seeing her in Game Prix she really rubbed off on her and I love writing her! She's tough and doesn't take ship from anyone, she's intelligent and she's exactly who Timaeus needs to keep order: A physican does more than just treat the wounds...as you'll see soon ;)
> 
> plus let's face it Yugi needs someone to talk too, while he tries to keep Timaeus at bay ;)
> 
> I'm surprised this hasn't gotten as much reviews but I'm thrilled about the level of favorites and followers its gotten! I can't wait to see your responses for this one ;)
> 
> Next Time:Yugi adjusts to life on the ship-and being under Timaeus' "care": including dealing with a new "gift" and the man's rather forward advances.


	9. The Eye Of Timaeus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi adjusts to life on the ship-and being under Timaeus' "care": including dealing with a new "gift" and the man's rather forward advances.

Chapter _IX: The Eye of Timaeus_

Yugi didn't sleep that night. He couldn't. Not with his captor still absent and he was alone in the man's bed. He couldn't face the door and instead slept huddled against the wall. The bed was mercifully large and he managed to pull himself into a tight ball on one side, hoping the additional space would send a clear message. But in his heart he didn't believe it. He'd feigned sleep and waited: each second was a thousand years in the heart-pounding silence of his panic.

When the door opened, he'd thought he'd imagined it. He'd hoped he'd imagined it, but was too frightened to check. The footsteps that followed confirmed his fears. His closed eyes squeezed tighter in fear. All he could do now was wait.

He heard each step click across the wooden planks with alarming clarity. The click of clasps and the woosh of armor being removed, the low thud as it was placed on the table. Then the armbands unlocked with a click and a metallic clang as they fell. Then the shin guards which were followed by a soft stomp of the foot. The belt was last. Yugi's heart stopped and for a moment he wondered if he'd remove the under-armor as well.

Yugi covered his mouth to stifle a squeak. He listened but heard nothing. His heart pounded in is ribs like a rubber ball perpetually slamming between two walls. He waited for the bed to eventually dip with the additional weight.

Except it never came.

Yugi didn't know whether to be surprised or relieved. He might have been more relieved if the waiting hadn't been so torturously long, and he must've worried himself into an uneasy sleep because when he opened his eyes again it was with the sudden jolt of waking and not having remembered falling asleep. And the other side of the bed was still empty.

Fear replaced with curiosity, Yugi climbed over the covers and searched the room. He half expected Timaeus to have slipped in with him unnoticed, but there was no dip in the bed, the covers unmoved and the sheets cold. Confused and curious, Yugi searched the room for his missing captor. Too dark to see he ventured out of the bed. Morning light started blooming through the windows. The aftercastle's far bow was a wall of glass and the minimal light provided him a semi-clear view of the room.

He found Timaeus in the last place he expected: curled up, sound asleep, on a couch Yugi hadn't noticed was next to the desk. Yugi blinked surprised. What kind of captor slept in the same room as his prisoner? Yugi didn't have any malicious intent towards the man but he couldn't possibly know that? Hadn't he already made a speech about not trusting him?

Yugi slipped off the bed and felt the cold floor bite his bare feet. Air swept through the light sheath: frigid but bearable. He tip-toed to the couch then stopped to take in Timaeus' sleeping profile. He slept in his under-armor but the cloak was draped up to his chest. Curled on his side, his arms bunched under his cheek in a make-shift pillow. He looked calm, almost lazy. He breathed in shallow, peaceful breathes. His mouth was a serene smile and his brows relaxed revealing an almost childlike face. Now that Yugi really looked, his face was peaceful: calm and tranquil. Fearless. Worriless. To Yugi he looked almost—innocent.

It didn't suit the man he'd come to know that day. In fact, like this he looked almost kind. Almost, handsome. Yugi heard himself think it and wished he hadn't, but denying it was like saying the desert was cold in midday. It was simply a fact. Timaeus was simply beautiful. He didn't look Atlantian or Greek now that Yugi noticed. He boasted a warrior's body and knew how to use both its appeal and its strength. But unlike the broad-shouldered, muscle-bound warriors who boasted power, Timaeus was trimmed and corded with a strong, elegant strength. His voice was intimidation invoking both fear and pleasure—even Yugi couldn't deny the treacherous rush of desire he'd felt coupling his fear each time the man spoke. His face was the perfect blend of strong angles that hinted at Spartan ancestry and soft Antolian sensuality. His wild hair was enough evidence of some Antolian blood. Awake he was power incarnate: strong, carnal and elegant. But asleep that same power, though by no means muted, was beautiful, tantalizingly so.

And even more so were his eyes: that single emerald gem that captured and displayed all of what he was and yet kept it perfectly concealed. That one was hidden beneath his hand, but its twin was open in full view and at this angle Yugi could see it for what it truly was: a horrible scar. But he was reluctant to call it ugly. Fierce, certainly. Terrible, yes, but instead of fear or disgust, it invoked sympathy and sadness. Where had it come from? What had he done to deserve it? If he deserved it at all.

Tentatively, Yugi reached a hand towards it. He traced the angry red line like the scratch of an animal's claw or the sharp bite of a blade. Was it a war injury? Then why had no one seen it? Was it an animal attack? Then how did he survive with only this? Just like that, Yugi was swept up in the myth of this man, and he felt no shame because of it, as he traced a feathery finger down the line of the scar and gently rubbed it with his thumb.

 _Who are you?_ Yugi whispered.

"Does it bother you?" He hadn't seen the lips move, but Yugi heard him speak. A dark, clear sonance so deep it was a shadow of a sound, like a large cat's purr. Yugi retracted his hand like he'd been burned, but suddenly it was snatched like a falcon ensnaring a fish.

A breath caught in Yugi's throat and froze there. Before he could fight, he was pulled forward and found his back lying on the coach. Timaeus leaning over him: his mouth a neutral line, his face grave and his eyes betraying no emotion. He asked again "Does it bother you?"

Yugi gasped in horror and his cheeks grew warm with the evidence of his shame. He wanted to speak but his throat tightened and words slipped through in chocked breaths. His heart ricocheted in his ribs. He was certain he could hear it. And he was certain Timaeus could too. He closed his eyes in a harsh squint and waited for a punishment that never came.

He peeked one eye open.

Timaeus cocked his head to side, bemused, like a kitten unsure what to make of a new toy. He took in Yugi's bewilderment and smiled coyly like a sphinx. "It does not take much to make your heart pound does it?" Yugi wanted to disappear.

Timaeus released him and sat up. He draped the mantle over the arm of the couch and with casual ease, scooped his shin guards and boots on the floor and put them on. Yugi stared at him, too shocked to move. Like everything that just happened was a trick of the light, and the ghost was actually a shadow.

Yugi shot up and grabbed his arm before he could get up. Timaeus had the nerve to give a curious blink, genuine or not. He looked like he wanted to ask, but Yugi made an imperious gesture, and with Yugi's shock now a glare that was clearly meant to mask his shame, Timaeus silenced. With his cheeks still flushed and his teeth still gritted, Yugi demanded. "What. Was that?"

Timaeus' puzzled expression vanished, and he freed his arm with a simple tug and gathered the rest of his armor. "Don't be embarrassed," He said. His words drowned in casual compliance as he dressed. "You're not the first one I've caught staring," he admitted. "And you won't be the last." There was a hint of accepted sympathy in that statement and Yugi felt ashamed of himself.

"I wasn't staring," he rebutted, but turned his head with a bob of his chin. "I was just…curious…about it." It wasn't a lie, but admitting it was no source of pride.

Timaeus stared at him with hard eyes. "Do you want to know?" The tone was neutral but the depth of his voice made it sound grave, daring Yugi to ask the truth. Surprisingly, he might even give it if Yugi said yes.

He pondered it. Curiosity bubbled in his belly singing high notes at the thought of learning a secret—even if the secret was more fun when it was kept. After all wasn't that the point of it? Wasn't it fun because of the creativity and mystery? And yet knowing held its own reward. But this wasn't some simple background story either: it was meticulously well-kept and deeply personal. Did he even have a _right_ to ask?

"No," Yugi said softly. "I don't think so."

"Good," The deepness was childishly high and all earlier threats were gone. "Because I wouldn't have told you anyway."

Yugi stared at him stunned and angry. "Then why ask me?"

"To tease you," He had the audacity to wink, the effect in no way marred by his single eye. His smile was bright and childish and made Yugi growl. Timaeus only smiled. Unlike Yugi, he looked fresh and all ready for the day's events. "You have no tongue for humor, Yugi?"

"Humor when it is appropriate," Yugi spat with the authority of a noble. "Not as an underhanded way of scolding a guest."

Timaeus only laughed, grabbed his mantle off the couch and threw it over his armor in a single, graceful swoop. "You're quite a spitfire in the morning, aren't you?" He said casually clipping it in place. "The pity the man who marries you, poor lad may not be ready for so much spice in his bed."

Yugi chocked on a retort, and stuck his tongue out at him.

Timaeus just chuckled and snapped his armbands in place "You should get some more rest. I'll send Rhebekka to check on you." He strolled out the door before Yugi could protest, but he could just feel the smile etched onto the man's face, like this victory was some sort of conquest. Yugi growled low in his throat, then grabbed a pillow, crushed it to his face, and screamed.

X X X

"Has he always been this…infuriating!?" Yugi asked Rhebekka with an aggravated click of his tongue.

"Oh yes...always." she said, unweaving the bandages without missing a beat. She had her hair tied once more into coils with the silver ribbons she otherwise kept tied to her bodice. Yugi wondered if the simple gray dress was the uniforms of Atlantis' healers. "Least as long as I've known him, but I'm afraid I haven't known him that long."

That perked Yugi's curiosity. "How long have you known him, then?"

"I've been in his service about four years?" she paused and pondered sweetly, pulling another bottle from her belt. "But I've known him since he came to Atlantis. Almost…eight years ago?" She poured the contents into a cup of water. "Drink this."

"And before that?" Yugi asked taking the drink. It smelt sweet like honey but tasted bland then oddly bitter and went down like sawdust.

Rhebekka shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. For all I know he sprouted full grown from a dragon's egg. There's a reason the man inspires myth, you know." She said with a sparkle in her green eyes that hinted at mischievous secrets: more rumors and games than _real_ truths. In Rhebekka's eyes were the fantasy and the curiosity. In Timaeus' eyes: both the vibrant emerald and the scar, _was_ mystery, revealing nothing and what he did would never add up to an answer.

"Has anyone…well…" Yugi wasn't sure how to ask the question without sounding foolish. "Tried to figure it out?"

"Everyone's wondered." Rhebekka corrected, recorking her bottles. "But it's a tricky prospect: the soldiers, both those who've been with him since the beginning and those who entered his service late, want to know what kind of man they serve, but all they _need_ to know is that he is their General and Trierarch and the King trusts him. Anything else, as you can understand, they're too afraid to approach. The people of Locri know nothing of his background, but he is a good ruler and a kind one: it simply isn't important. Only his closest servants, me included, have asked. His fellow generals have asked. Even his past lovers have bragged that he only trusted them with the truth," she snorted. "But he'd only ever given us each a different answer and we know none of them are the truth."

She laughed and listed each one, failing her hands in a dramatic performance. "I was an orphan who stowed away on a pirate ship. I was a performance fighter who rescued the King from an assassin. My mother was a dragon and my father a human lost at sea. The list goes on, some more fantastical than others. The only fact is Dartz met him in Greece and Timaeus impressed him and even the details of that are cloudy at best." Her laugh rolled from her throat, loud and dramatically stern. "Timaeus has been loyal to him ever since. And don't even _ask_ about the scar. He's a _Master_ at evading that question." There was a hidden darkness in her tone, and coldness in her eyes that made Yugi's stomach drop. "We don't ask and he doesn't say."

Almost too quickly her voice brightened. "But that just adds to the mystery." She concluded with a wink. She examined his arms and he studied her work. Even the worst of his bruises were now pale and sickly yellow, and the rest had faded into his skin. Yugi smiled and tested his limbs, yesterday's soreness had faded that morning and now it was completely gone. Even the one swelling on his cheek had cleared. The room didn't have a mirror, but he could make out his reflection clear enough in the sun-lit glass.

"Looks like your all set." She concluded packing up her things and Yugi turned from the window to thank her.

"Make sure you eat today as well." She reminded.

"I will," he promised and grimaced, yanking on the hem of that revealing sheath. "I don't suppose you have any other clothes for me do you?"

"As a matter of fact," She said in an impish tone, and pulled something else out from her bag and set it on the bed. "Lord Timaeus told me if you were able to be up and about to give you these."

Normally he'd reject any gift from Timaeus as a matter for pride, but his curiosity perked, Yugi abandoned the window and hopped over to the bed. A pair of white leather sandals, elegant and noble, sat obediently on top of a folded garment of shiny black material that felt slippery under Yugi's fingers and was seamed with gold threads.

"He also had me requests that you join him for the morning meal?" Rhebekka said quickly and Yugi's hand flew away like the cloth had burned him.

"What?" The sound he made was between a squeak and a disbelieving grunt.

"What?" Rhebekka arched an innocent brow. "You need to eat, after all?"

Yugi arched a skeptical brow. "Will His Majesty be joining us?" Yugi asked.

Rhebekka didn't blink and shook her head. "Just the two of you."

"Then tell Timaeus, I apologize but I am not inclined to answer his request and would prefer to dine in my own quarters." Yugi said in a flat command, but his expectations were dashed when Rhebekka's impish grin returned.

"I told him you'd day that." She sighed almost apologetically but then she giggled "So he told me that you are entitled to your choice, but…" She sang the word and held up her pointer finger and Yugi's stomach dropped. "You will have to go to the mess hall and get it yourself _and_ you will have to go _exactly_ as you are now." Yugi looked confused then his eyes expanded when her hand slipped to the clothes she'd laid out. "These _were_ for the occasion after all?

Yugi's face blanched and he looked at her like a child who'd been tattled on.

"Oh don't look at me like that," Rhebekka giggled. "I like you Yugi, I do, but he's my Trierarch."

For the second time that day, Timaeus made Yugi want to scream.

X X X

"You look lovely, Yugi." Timaeus complimented brightly through the crash of the door being thrown open with such anger it hit the opposite wall and bounced up.

Yugi glared at him unamused. Timaeus sat at the table in the heart of the aftercastle's main loft. The maps and battle pieces were cleared away and replaced with an assortment of native delicacies and goblets decorated with the popular lotus. The two chairs were stations across from the other and the silverwear was arranged accordingly. Timaeus occupied one with his hands folded under his chin, almost politely. Between either entertaining the Trierarch's ego and his dignity under the scrutiny of the crew, Yugi still didn't know which was the lesser of the two evils.

"Come sit, it's not poisoned." Timaeus encouraged with a gesture of his hands. Yugi arched a skeptical brow. "Give me _some_ credit, little one." Timaeus sighed, almost bored, and placed a patient chin in his waiting palm.

Yugi rolled his eyes and dragged the chair to the opposite end of the table, studying it as he did so. Each bowl was an assortment of Kemet crops: dissected pomegranates, stained with juice and boasting shiny seed like tiny rubies; tear-shaped figs fresh from the sycamore, pulp dates and oddly shaped palm fruits split open to reveal their treasured pulp, and a bowl of rough barely bread packed into flat gritty cakes. The cups were filled with a sweet perfumed liquid like honey, dark in color, and light in texture. "What's all this?" Yugi asked, sitting down.

"Can't a man invite his guest to breakfast?" Timaeus said almost chivalrously, and pushed forward the pomegranate bowl.

Yugi's face remained stoic. "And _this_?" he grabbed the skirt with a harsh tug.

Timaeus shrugged. "It looks lovely on you and I trust it's more comfortable than a night smock." It was indeed a lovely garment: a rich black linen slip shot through with golden threads, the top cut to expose the shoulders and connected at the neck in a single necklace of gold cloth. It clung to Yugi's skin and hugged his lithe chest, but flared at the bottom hugging firm hips and hiding sculpted legs. Coupled with the soft white oxen sandals, it was a lovely outfit. Or it could've been if it hadn't been meant for a woman, which Yugi was quick to criticize.

"I apologize if the…style is not to your liking but I'm afraid we're limited until we can restock in Djanet." Timaeus didn't sound apologetic and nudged the bowl closer to Yugi.

"May I have a knife," Yugi demanded, his stomach rebelled against him and Timaeus chuckled.

"You aren't going to try and stab me with it are you?" He went in for the kill and plucked a date from the bowl and sank his teeth into it without remorse.

"No, I want to cut this dress into a tunic," Yugi snapped, fidgeting in his seat.

Timaeus chuckled. "I'm afraid I don't have the heart to ruin such a work of loveliness." Yugi growled, knowing he wasn't speaking about the dress.

"Now come eat, I'm sure you're hungry." He encouraged. "You clearly have no desire to impress me and I won't think any less of you."

Yugi stayed still. Timaeus pushed forward the platter of fresh pomegranates once again. It sat in front of Yugi like a piece of cake. Yugi could smell the honey sweet juice dripping from its seeds. Yugi's stomach ached with desire. It was a taunt, he realized. A reward for good behavior.

Forgetting decorum, Yugi grabbed a piece and sank his teeth into the sweet seeds. Ruby justice dripped down his shin but he whipped it away with his hand and dove into the fruit like a starving beast. He'd finished an entire fruit when Timaeus offered him some wine. Yugi drank it greedily in only a few gulps. "How far are we from the capital?" He demanded wiping juice from his lip with his arm.

"No more than two days." Timaeus explained pouring another drink. "More wine, Yugi?"

Yugi swallowed. "My name is Ujalah," he corrected.

Timaeus blinked. "I'm aware, but you seem to prefer it. Unless there is a reason you'd prefer I call you your given name?"

Yugi paused before he answered. "It was a childhood name, one of the many my siblings and I gave each other. It used to be just for family."

"Used to be?" Timaeus questioned, but regretted it when he saw Yugi's defeated face. It lasted only a second before his mask returned, but Timaeus had seen it, and he did not like being the cause of it.

"Sometimes family loses that privilege." He stabbed a spoon into another pomegranate and scooped out the seeds, but the message was clear and Timaeus, wisely, did not press further.

"My apologies." He sat back and took a small sip from his own glass, having eaten his fill before the younger arrived.

"Now, I have a question," Yugi said, taking the end of another fruit, this one whole, and ripped it open. "Why do you have your ship speak Aramaic?"

Timaeus pulled away the glass and stared at him with blinking curiosity. "Is it not the common tongue of the region? And as a General should I not know the language of the lands I am visiting on behalf of my king?"

"Yes, but not just you speak it." Yugi noted, with a cat-like grin and a spark in his pretty eyes. "You spoke it the other day to your men. And in casual conversation with your physician, and with me assuming I knew how to use it, which I do, but that is not the issue. So why?"

"You're very perceptive, little one. I have learned many languages in my travels as has Rhebekka; she's a bit of a prodigy as you can see. As for my men, well, I stress the importance of the arts of invasion and that includes knowing the language of our neighbors both so we may capture the enemy and spare the innocents. Aramaic is, simply, the choice of the world at the moment."

"I see," Yugi said, unimpressed.

"Do you have any more questions for me?" Timaeus asked, and Yugi felt spotlighted under the playful gaze. Once more the cat was playing with his favorite mouse.

"Yes, actually," Yugi matched his expression and grinned. "As your _guest_ I'd like to leave these chambers and explore the ship." It was not a request.

"That sounds delightful," Timaeus stood from his chair and finished his wine in a single swallow. "When you're finished with breakfast, you can accompany me on a tour of the ship."

Yugi paused in his sip. "That isn't what I meant," he growled.

"I know exactly what you meant," Timaeus chuckled. "But as you'll recall, you're under my protection, which means I will not be letting you out of my sight." He threw the smile over his shoulder, casual and matter of fact. "Now please," he spun. "Finish eating.

Yugi swallowed the wine but put down the fruit, unable to stomach any more.

X X X

The _Eye of Timaeus_ , as Timaeus proudly boasted the name of his ship, was far bigger, bulkier, and prettier than any Egyptian bark. Yugi's spent much of his life on ships up and down the Nile, but while those thin, slender, single-masted galleys were perfect for transportation and travel, the largest parts were only ever the sails, the deck house and the rudder post that controlled the steering oars. Even the Royal Barks with their long rows of oars were single-decked. They were _nothing_ like the monstrous beauty of the Atlantian ship, and now that Yugi was awake and calm and able to appreciate its beauty, he took in each detail with wide eyes and a baited gasp.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Timaeus swooped up behind him, not even surprised and ushered Yugi forward with a small push on the back of his shoulders. His body felt weightless and put up no resistance when Timaeus urged him forward.

Easily twice as wide as the slender galleys with their short widths and long hulls he was used to, Yugi felt overwhelmed by the size. Overhead, a web of ropes and nets climbed to the massive center mast. A mizzenmast on either side sported a multitude of lateen-rigged sails that spiraled in triangular shapes like silvery and black dragon wings. Yugi stepped across the deck, becoming dizzy as the sails danced in the air above him. Curiosity, drew him up the forecastles upper deck where the sculpture of a massive dragon. Its wings folded into the design of the forecastle's bow, its chest, neck and claws protruding forward and its massive head shot forward, jaw opened and poised to strike: forming an elevated beak.

Beautiful was too much of an understatement. The _Eye of Timaeus_ was in a superior class of its own.

"What kind of ship is this?" Yugi asked in a voice that was all breath.

"A Galleon," Timaeus stood behind him, his hands on Yugi's shoulders and his eyes beaming.

"Galleon?" Yugi asked curiously over his shoulder.

Timaeus' eyes glinted with sparkling delight and his scar gave the impression he was smirking. "In a way, its name is derived from the galleys favored by the South, but unlike your countries, smaller, lighter designs we've also incorporated the style of the eastern Carracks." He explained in a perfect purr rich with enthusiasm and delight. "Atlantis simply…perfected both styles."

"It's…" Yugi couldn't find the right word. The forecastle was half the size of the aftercastle suits, but high enough that Yugi could see over the edge of the ship and the distance between himself and the Nile was unsettling. At least two-decked, the Nile was at least twenty _djesers_ below. "Huge," he chocked the word, wondering how it could glide so fluently through the Nile with such weight. "How can it float? The Nile is only a rod deep? How does it not hit the sandbars?"

Timaeus chuckled at his shock, his anxious fingers eager to point out the ship's masterpieces. "An excellent question" he chuckled. "We we're fortunate to have arrived in time for the flood, otherwise I'd never be able to sail her down the Nile. The current for the most part takes care of the sandbanks if we keep her in the heart where the water's the deepest."

"What about at night?" Yugi interrupted. No Kemets dared sail at night because of the sand dunes. Boats had to be hulled onto shore. It would take twice as many men as Timaeus had to drag this boat onto land.

Timaeus was quick with an answer. "Anchors," he explained to Yugi's bewilderment. "At night we throw weights and hooks into the water so it keeps the boat locked in place. At dawn we simply raise the anchors or cut the ropes and we don't waste valuable sailing time by lugging it back and forth on land. And if that doesn't work," He added with a proud hand banging the side of the hull. "The hull is made from oak. It's strong and sturdy and can withstand the waters and the earth."

That made sense, Yugi thought. Galley hulls were weak but light and meant to stay above the waterline to avoid the sandbanks: to do so freeboards were usually kept low. It made the galleys fast and maneuverable but much more vulnerable to rough waves and weather. A stronger hull avoided that problem.

"She's also elongated," Timaeus continued boasting the ship's beauty. And Yugi leaned forward to look. He saw the hull was painted turquoise to mimic the green Nile and, Yugi assumed, the sea. "A lowered forecastle like this one," he gestured and arm to the aft, "A square tuck," Another arm pointed to the aftercastle. "And a hull that's longer, lower, and narrower creates much greater stability and reduces wind resistance." He spun and fanned his arms in a heavenly gesture to the whole of the vessel. "Makes for perfect maneuverability. But," He spun to Yugi and smiled, aloof and secretive. "Her true power comes in the combination of her ability to harness the wind," He looked heavenward towards the billowing sales and suddenly Yugi realized there was wind blowing through him. "Sea," He backed towards the railing and this time gestured his arm below. "And strength."

Yugi leaned over the hull for a look. He wasn't surprised to see either side of the hull's flank projected a row of oars, rowing the massive construction in tune with the Nile's Northern currents. Galley sails were squared for catching wind, but they were almost entirely power by oars and man functioning independent of the wind and Nile current.

"It's genius isn't it?" Timaeus boasted.

"What about the oars?" Yugi looked at him confused.

Timaeus looked stunned for a moment then explained. "Galleons, unlike Galleys, are powered entirely by wind. The sails," again he gestured to the spiral of lateen triangles. "Allow us to catch and alter the wind to work in our favor. However, as the galleys have shown us, it helps to have an alternative method of motion independent of air currents, especially if the river is flowing in one direction. Don't you agree?"

Yugi hadn't thought of that. Kemet's landscape was an oddity with the southern deserts elevated and the delta sunken. As such and Nile flowed north from the large lakes of the south and its mouth fed the Delta basin before spilling into the northern sea. Traveling north was easy with the current but south was a tricky devil without oars and rudders to steer.

"Since we're going north, we're fortunate to have the current on our side and the wind, but having my men offer additional assistance will cover much greater distance much faster." Timaeus finished, beaming with pride and turned to Yugi with a look of boastful satisfaction.

"Wait," Yugi looked confused and suddenly realized where they were. And who was not here. "Who's rowing the boat?" He looked around just now noticing the deck was empty except for the two of them. He saw some hands moving about between the forecastle and the center deck, but it was completely absent the company he'd seen the previous morning. "Where are the soldiers? The ship hands?"

"My soldiers _are_ sailors." Timaeus corrected. "Each one fights on the battle field and keeps the ship moving at sea. I don't have room to waste for half-hands. Besides," Timaeus added with a devilish glint in his single eye that his scar illuminated. "Their quarters, toilets and washrooms are below deck anyway. They rise at dawn, eat in the mess hall, and return to their work, and can simply retire when I dismiss them."

A sick feeling suddenly came over Yugi. "You mean...they _don't_ live in the forecastle?"

Timaeus grinned, not even having the decency to look surprised by the question. "Oh no, the forecastle contains the infirmary, the mess hall and kitchens and on occasion Rhebekka's room when the additional one in the Trierarch's quarters is occupied. Her orders. Nutrition and health do go hand in hand, you see?"

Yugi did see, and it filled him with rage. So _then I_ could _have gotten my own food and not had to deal with him this morning._ Yugi wanted to scream. _All's well,_ he grumbled bitterly. _I'd still have to go through the meeting room to get there._ He'd be in Ammut's belly before he let Timaeus see him walking about nearly naked.

"She is beautiful," Yugi admitted, unable to sound reluctant. For all its beauty and majesty, _The_ _Eye of Timaeus_ was truly a magnificent and masterful piece of craftsmanship "You have a right to be proud of her."

"Ah, I am," Timaeus' danced with possessive delight and pride as he said it, "She's my pride and joy."

"I can see why," Yugi agreed, then chuckled rhetorically, "Though I doubt you can call her yours alone unless, of course, you built her?" Yugi hadn't meant to initiate a challenge, but Timaeus took it as one and grinned.

"As a matter of fact I did," Timaeus stated with his brightest and proudest smirk. Yugi looked at him with a disbelieving frown, but Timaeus' smirk only broadened. "As beautiful and powerful as galleons are, they're _notoriously_ expensive. Even Atlantis only has four. Our Military vessels are much smaller."

That did surprise Yugi, because the opposite was true of Kemet ships. Kemet's navy was rarely needed but it was an impressive number of ships, all constructed from stronger, denser imported woods that didn't exist in the desert or the marsh. Atlantis had access to various resources, but wood had always been rare and expensive, especially since Greece, one of the more forested areas had several tree species associated with its Gods.

"That is why I am Trierarch, little one." Timaeus continued. "It is not just because I am Captain of this crew and General of this Army, I am the one who ordered this ship's construction and financed it."

Yugi heart leapt into his throat. "How could you afford that?"

"Volunteering, mostly," Timaeus explained. "The people of Locri were more than happy to assist their Governor in building a ship to protect them. I had not even been there a year and already I earned that rank. I believe it's the equivalent to a Nomarch in your county."

Yugi suddenly felt dizzy. Rhebekka had mentioned something about Timaeus being a ruler but surely, she didn't mean…Yugi felt his weight lean against the banister. He barely noticed Timaeus slip next to him and catch him round the waist. "Does my new found status surprise you?" Timaeus asked with a purr that made Yugi shiver and he hated himself for it.

"It certainly explains your arrogance," Yugi chided with a smirk.

"I'm arrogant am I?"Timaeus chuckled. His smile curved to a smirk. That same smirk that made Yugi want to clench his fist and scream. "I prefer confident. Arrogance is a term for men with no honor and, I admit, I'm proud enough that I considered myself much more chivalrous than that."

Yugi rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the less than humble response and shoved off the man's arm.

"Now I have a question or you, little one?" Timaeus asked pushing him off the banister and strutted towards Yugi with an aloof smirk. It reminded Yugi of a cat sitting on the ledge, knowing full well its master craved attention. He stopped just in front of him. "Your sudden curiosity in the structure of my ship would not by any chance be an attempt to seduce military secrets from me, would it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone notice the duality of the title of this chapter ;)
> 
> I dabbled with the end of this chapter SO many times before finally splitting it with the next chapter and then turning chapter 12 into its own chapter and so on, so I'm very happy with the end of this one: i wanted to keep Timaeus tour of the ship to this chapter so i was very happy about that.
> 
> Glossary:
> 
> Djesers— Ancient Egyptian unit of measurement; approximately 30 cm; the equivalent to one foot
> 
> Rod—ancient Egyptian form of measurement; 1 rod of a cord or 100 cubits, approximately 52.5 meters
> 
> Nomarchs—semi-feudal rulers who served as provincial governors over one of the 42 nomes (sepats in Egyptian) into which the country was divided. While the Pharaoh often appointed the Nomarch, the position could also be hereditary. When central authority was weak the Nomarchs often expanded their own power base to take on many of the functions of the Pharaoh and it was more likely that the position would be hereditary. At times they ruled pretty much autonomously and could afford to ignore the weak (or non-existent) central government. Naturally, they gained a lot of authority during the Intermediate periods.
> 
> Note on Galleons: I based Atlantis' ships on 18th century galleons, huge, multi-deck ships; primarily the Spanish galleons which had high aftercastles or captains quarters and were primarily merchant ships (which will make sense later) but some were redone as war ships. Given they were first constructed in Venice, and Atlantis was known as the most advances civilization of the day, I decided they would be appropriate ships for Atlantis. However, since they were RIDICIOUSLY expensive to make, I limited these to only three with smaller ships compromising the navy (the opposite of Kemet as Yugi mentioned). They could either be sailed or have oars though many had both. Traditionally, Trireme revered to having three layers of oars but they made no sense to me, so I changed the representation so it referred to The Eye of Timaeus' three decks, and Timaeus Title was accurate.
> 
> In addition to Timaeus' compliment, the Trierarch wasn't just the ship's naval commander, but also the one who required to pay for the ship's outfitting and maintenance. For this reason, they primarily ruled only one ship.
> 
> Next Time:Timaeus and Yugi have an interesting conversation and Dartz asked Timaeus an important question.


	10. Chivalry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Timaeus and Yugi have an interesting conversation and Dartz asked Timaeus an important question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten chapters in little over two months! Holy Smoke that's a new record for me! Since the last chapter was posted pretty late, I decided to post this one early for you guys ^^
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
> 
> Dedications: To all my reviewers! you have no idea how much your favs, comments and follows inspire me! I am so happy with the reception to this story!
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions, make theories and have fun!

_Chapter X: Chivalry_

He'd purred the words with bird-like cock of his head. The almost innocent gesture only amplifying the sultry tone.

He was teasing again and Yugi knew it, but he didn't shy from the challenge. Instead, he gracefully avoided his touch like a cat avoiding grabby hands. "Firstly," he chided, "I have no interest in military secrets: Atlantian or otherwise. Second," he said hard and sarcastic, determined to prove who exactly was the cat in this game. "I'd rather seduce a toad."

"Really now?" Timaeus leaned up, words high with mock surprise and sharp eyes were bright with mischief and scheming, "It would have to be quiet a handsome toad."

Caught off by the response, Yugi felt his cheeks burn. He turned around and was caught off guard by the sudden closeness. "I can't see you anything less attracting you?" The Trierarch purred the words and Yugi forgot to breathe. His heart hammered in his chest.

"A-Are you trying to court me?" Yugi said with a hiss of disapproval, but it lacked the desired effect.

Timaeus chuckled and smiled, the tension suddenly lighted. "Believe me, little one," He leaned in closer, and a finger curled under Yugi's chin and lifted it slightly. Yugi felt another shiver run up his spine, but he couldn't tell is it was disgruntlement or, dare he admit it, delight. "If I was trying to court you, you'd know."

A breath caught in Yugi's throat when he met Timaeus' eyes. The close proximity highlighted every detail of the Trierarch's face: every sharp curve that arched his nose and tilted his cheeks on an angle, like a curious owl. Every smooth line that curled his jaw into a hybrid of a smirk or a smile. The defining black arch of his brows and thick lashes accentuated the blazing light in his emerald eye, and the red slit of his scar. He couldn't deny it. Even if Yugi wanted to. Timaeus was simply, beautiful.

And worse, he did nothing to hide it. Or accentuate it. It was simply there, simply a fact. Yet instead of muting this beauty, it only seemed to craft him in a different light. A sort of stripped down elegance that was just as stunning, perhaps even more so because it was real. It was neither flaunted nor competing against elegant jewels, fine silks or beaded wigs. Made Yugi wonder what he must've looked like when he was younger, when he was passed maturity and not yet flawed by age, if age had touched him at all.

Yugi broadened his back and donned a stoic smirk, "Would I?" He asked swallowing a lump caught in his throat. Timaeus' smile curled but it wasn't the cat like grin that boasted control and left Yugi frazzled for losing. It was more of a smile. Genuine and sweet and his eyes had softened like a lover's. Only now did Yugi realize just how close they actually were. Their noses barely touching. All Timaeus had to do was lean in and…

"Yes," Timaeus slid next closer. His words were a sultry purr. He bowed his head and Yugi closed his eyes and parted his lips slightly, waiting. "You would."

"Rather than being boldly forward." Timaeus spun around and Yugi's eyes shot open, suddenly feeling lost and dazed. He blinked in curiosity and spun around then round again. He caught Timaeus retreating back and swaggering step. "My approach would be to compliment your appearance and personality." leaned against the deck railing with a casual push of his back, his arms arched in an upside down V behind him giving him a relaxed and regal look.

Once it was clear that there was no kiss coming, nor had their ever been one, Yugi shook his head and leaned against the opposite banister grateful for the distance. Mostly to clear his ravaging mind. What was he thinking. It didn't matter how handsome the man was, he _knew_ better. To save face he grumbled and fought down the heat he knew was rising in his cheeks.

"Really," he grumbled and kept his face stoic. "And what would that be?"

Timaeus eyes lit up with the challenge and he chuckled almost sweetly. "Well, I'd start by stating how lovely you look. You prettiness is so smooth, elegant, innocent. Exotic, even by Kemet standards. Your cheeks are so round and sweet, and they look just _dazzling_ when you blush, and they just seem made for smiling, despite the fact you always seem to keep it in a scowl. And, of course, one simply cannot deny your eyes are stunning." He pushed off again and strolled over to him, only this time he knelt down to he met Yugi's eye level.

The boy's blushing face determined to be stubborn met Timaeus which was set in a charming smile. "I've never seen such a lovely shade of purple, makes me wonder if those fabled blue lotus, your country is so famous for even compare?"

"Oh," Yugi looked away determined not to be held captive by that smile again. He already felt embarrassed for falling so easily before and felt stupid for the odd sensation of confusion and expectation. "T-Thank you?"

"Tis the truth, little one." Timaeus said kindly and earnestly. When he pulled away he was stills smiling and looked at Yugi with a proud gleam. "I'd also state how much I admire your sharp wit, how your will is as strong as a dragon and twice as fierce, no doubt, and despite your less than pleasant experiences in the temple, you still cared enough to warn them of our arrival."

Yugi's eyes flew open at that and he stared at him with wide eyes, his brows vanishing beneath his bangs.

Timaeus smirked. "Don't think I didn't notice you in the desert, or again in the heart of the temple. You're impossible to _not_ notice. But I think that decisionsays a great deal about you."

Yugi was about to thank him again when a dark thought filled his mind. "Wait, where _are_ the priests? Dartz said your mission was capture and rescue, it couldn't have been just about me?"

Timaeus frowned. "You are correct, little one, it was not just about you. Our orders were to apprehend the High Divine Servant of Amun and the Divine Adoratrice and anyone else they had allied themselves with. Before I apprehended you, my men had already secured every man, woman, and child living within the temple and escorted them onto the ship."

Yugi's heart sank. "You imprisoned them!? Why!? Most of them were just servants or singers or simple priests. They didn't do anything wrong nor do they deserve to be imprisoned."

Caught off guard by the sudden outburst, Timaeus jumped back, his eyes widening in curious surprise, then his gaze softened and he smiled. "Once again, your reaction says a great deal about you." He said it as if to the wind but in it was the intimacy of a whisper. "You can rest easy little one, everyone is safe. My men were given strict orders that no one was to be harmed. Anyone injured during the crash, Rhebekka is treating and since only a handful of people were there, anyone able to was put to work helping her in the infirmary and kitchens. My King made it clear to them they were to be transported to Djanet by the new Pharaoh who had given strict order to secure their health and safety. They were much more compliant with that assurance."

A rush of relief swept over Yugi, but before he could expel his fears relax, a lingerance disturbed him he asked "And the Divine Servant and Divine Adoratrice?" He couldn't bring himself to use their true names.

Timaeus frowned. "They were non-surprisingly less compliant. But they and anyone else unwilling to meet their king willingly was warned they'd spend the trip in the briggs next to the cargo hold. Any who chose not to relent are still there. And one sniveling bulk of a man whose cowardness disgusted me." Timaeus expelled a disgruntled snort. "So I threw him in there as well."

Yugi couldn't stop himself from laughing. "That would be Siam, and you're right, he's a coward and a bully."

Timaeus arced a brow over a frown. "I take it you know him well then,"

Yugi snorted. "Unfortunately. Whenever I skipped my lessons or chose to ignore them, the Divine Servant and Adoratrice would send him to fetch me. They only did because they knew we mutually despised each other." He chuckled. "When can I see them?"

"I beg your pardon?" Timaeus asked surprised and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"The servants and the priests?" Yugi blinked as if the answer was obvious. "You said they're on the ship, when can I see them?"

Timaeus felt an awkward flush rising to his face, but he quickly controlled it and coughed into his hand. Only fools make assumptions without observation first, he remined himself. When he opened his eyes he found Yugi staring at him curiously. Recalling the youth's early question he replied. "They're in Rhebekka's care, so you'll have to ask her."

"She seems to possess a lot of authority, I see?" Yugi asked with a sly smile.

This time Timaeus grinned, his element restored. "Yes, she does, as a physician she demands quite a bit as all my men owe her their lives, and since I've never met anyone half as fierce she doubles as an effective First Mate." He spun to the steps, then to Yugi and motioned with a curl of his fingers for Yugi to follow him. "Come, I'll take you."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "It's down below. I don't need an escort," he complained but followed anyway.

"Perhaps," Timaeus called descending the stairs with the grace and casual swagger of a royal prince. He looked over his shoulder with a smirk that was almost possessive. "But can I help it if I like having your company all to myself?"

Yugi fought down another blush with a stoic frown, but it failed miserably. He was about to remark when a chuckle, low and smooth as relaxed thunder interrupted them.

"I see you two are getting along?" Timaeus spun and Yugi looked up. Dartz had crossed the deck with a serpentine silence and moved with the fluidity of one: regal and noble, but quick to turn deadly.

His gaze fell on Yugi and he smiled. "It's good to see you well, Ujalah." He said bright and kind but regal. "I trust my General and his Physician have been taking care of you?"

"Thank you for your kindness, your highness," Yugi praised with a respectful how of the head. The gesture and use of title surprised Timaeus; if his king was correct about Psusennes' claim didn't that mean Yugi himself was royal? Even a child by a lesser wife was still part of the Great Royal family in Kemet's culture. Traditionally, only another king was of equal status to a king but the kings family was immune to such formality out of respect. Yet Yugi chose to address another King as someone of lower rank?

Yugi raised his head with a sly smile. "The Lady Physician has been very kind to me" he spoke elegantly but with a sly smile like he was setting up a joke. "Your General, I'm afraid," Yugi paused, his smile wicked but his thoughts scattered. "Is another matter entirely."

Dartz only laughed. "Yes, I'm afraid our mutual friend enjoys his ambiguity." His smile was aimed at Timaeus who bore it all with an amused smile. "But I assure you, you won't a more chivalrous man."

"Chivalrous?" Yugi blinked multiple times. Rhebekka had said the same thing. Recalling their earlier conversation, Yugi snorted "Well, _he_ certainly seems to think so."

"And if you'll recall, little one, I admit to being proud." Timaeus pushes himself off the banister and wove into the conversation. He swooped to Yugi's side and a strong hand rested gently on his shoulder. "No one ever said a man couldn't be both." He purred with a wink and Yugi fought down a shiver. Only this time he knew it was rage. How dare he! How dare he try and flirt with him in front of the Atlantian King! Chivalrous? The man had no shame.

Then at once he'd pulled away and stood at Yugi's side. His hand still on his shoulder but his back straight and his face a neutral mask despite the smallest of smiles gracing his lips. "As a matter of fact, we were just about to see the Physician. Our guest is concerned for the rest of our ships party."

Dartz golden eyes flashed for a moment. "I see. I assume you told him they are well in her care?"

"I have," Timaeus began but Yugi interrupted him. "I'd like to see them myself, thank you." He kept his voice civil despite the demand. Dartz smiled. It reminded Yugi of a serpent's relaxing after confirming a local pass-buyer was not an enemy.

"Understandable," Dartz nodded and peeled last them. "Since we're here," he turned to Yugi. "May I have a word, General?" He asked but in his mouth it wasn't a question. Though his mouth was a small smile, his golden eyes were secretive.

A question formed on Timaeus mouth, but it was lost when Yugi shoved him forward.

"Yugi!?" Timaeus growled, annoyed.

"Please don't let me burden you," the kindness of the gesture was marred by the sheer glee.

Timaeus protested again Yugi was off before he could finish the sentence. "Damnit." He grumbled under his breath and ran a frustrated hand through his bangs. He sighed and turned to his King with an apologetic bow. "My apologies, You Highness."

"No need to be formal," Dartz dismissed with a wave of his hand. His tone suddenly much lighter. Timaeus blinked and Dartz laughed. His eyes once more on the spot where Yugi had left. "He's a sweet boy."

"He is," Timaeus admitted with a smile then snorted. "But he's stubborn. Stubborn and proud. And his wit and will are sharper than a blade." He grumbled with a reluctant respect. And yet Timaeus couldn't help but smile.

"A spitfire in true form, I see?" Dartz asked with a flicker of a smile.

"Indeed," Timaeus chuckled. "But he is not terrible company, I admit." Thought the time had been short, he could deny the bit was easy to grow fond off. With his lovely face and wild eyes he was pleasant to behold, but that wild tongue and fierce temper offered a challenged. And yet it made him curious what lies beneath it. He hadn't failed to notice the small moments, Yugi'd frown or shiver when he thought Timaeus wasn't looking. Like he expected to be struck at any moment. It was expected under the circumstance but surely Yugi didn't find him _that_ intimidating? He just couldn't understand it.

"How long until we reach Djanet?" Dartz asked his gaze suddenly neutral and looking over the Nile sea.

Timaeus blinked caught off by the sudden subject change. "Not long," Timaeus explained. "I suspect by nightfall tomorrow if not shortly after dawn."

"Good," Dartz nodded with an aged sigh. "I'm hoping to conclude these negotiations soon. As a pleasant as the desert is, and I can truly understand why Kemet adores her beauty, I must say I am looking forward to the journey home."

Timaeus couldn't help but agree. He was no stranger to life at sea and neither was his King, but it was a different love for their mutual home and though Timaeus had only been made Lord of Locri for a short time, he knew little of the bond between King and country.

"I think we will all be happy to return home." He said with a smile. "And even more so in possession of a new ally."

"Let us hope." Dartz chuckled and leaned against the ship's rail. The Nile breeze caught his own sea green hair and blew small wisps about his face. "But I admit I'm more looking forward to reuniting with my daughter again."

Timaeus chuckled: light and full of heart. "Any father would be, be he a beggar or a king."

Dartz laughed at the joke. "She misses you, you know?" he said with a tint of slyness. The words caught Timaeus off guard and he paused to listen.

"Before we left all she kept asking was when you plan to visit the capital? Or when I plan to visit Locri. She claims as future Queen she must accompany me on all my exhibitions but while I may be her king I'm also her father. I can see past her tricks." Dartz concluded and turned to his general. There was a hint of mischief in his eye and his face pulled into a mask of scheming. But Timaeus hadn't noticed it, becoming lost in his pondering.

It had been a while since he visited the capital, but he had his people to think about: ships and merchants to manage, local businesses who'd yet to pay their annual tax, festivals to plan, crops to harvest and though his household kept the circulation flowing while he was away, he couldn't just take a day off and visit whenever he pleased. Still he wasn't undone of the princess. She'd been one of his first friends when he'd come to Atlantis, her along with Hamos and Critieaus, had welcomed into their family when he'd returned with Dartz. They hadn't needed an explanation and just accepted him, but her still hopes to _earn_ a permanent place in their hearts and he had. In her case, perhaps a little too well. He grimaced. It could never be the same as it was back then. But still he missed her.

"I miss her too," Timaeus admitted oblivious to the surprise on his king's face. "Perhaps once things are settled, I will schedule a visit to the Capitol." He had his eye closed and didn't notice the hope shinning in his eyes or his mask shift to one of triumph.

But the casual innocence in his tone was light and matter of fact, almost a laugh. "It'll be nice to visit an old friend." He spun around and descended the steps to the main deck.

He never noticed his King's smile drop to a frown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still not sure if I like the title for this one and its a little short compared to recent ones, originally i was going to end the last chapter with Yugi thinking Timaeus was going to kiss him, but i like last chaps' cliffhanger better and honestly when i broke down these chapters the layouts just fit, and I definitely needed to keep the section with Dartz. Hope you all enjoy the Yugi and Timaeus banter. Plus there were some major hints and foreshadowing in this chapter, any guess ;)
> 
> Next Time: Timaeus gets a very unexpected surprise and Yugi has a new role on the ship.


	11. Defiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Timaeus gets a very unexpected surprise and Yugi has a new role on the ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped to get this up earlier, but crazy morning!
> 
> I did a lot of research on ships and galleons for this fic and I made some edits to the previous chapters to reflect the changes to the ship. I literally redid a blueprint of how i designed the ship with the order and location of the rooms and buildings, so see below for the notes.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Characters are Takehashi's both manga and anime only (and i just realized there are a lot of anime only characters.

_Chapter XI: Defiance_

Timaeus couldn't have staged his surprise if he wanted to. At seven and twenty and used to the worst of war, he'd strutted into Rhebekka's infirmary numerous times, confident nothing would shock him. This had been no exception and yet here he was: frozen, arm still flexed, lone eye stretched vertically wide, eyebrows vanishing beneath his silver forelock, cheeks flat and the neutral line of his lips parted in a voiceless question.

The reason for his shock spun to unwittingly face him and stopped: a platter of bottles and bandages in one hand and an armful of towels in the other. Taken completely off guard, he inhaled a squeak, eyes blinking owlishly like an adulteress caught with her lover. Yugi's stomach dropped to his toes. The bottles jingled and some fell over as his hand shook, the towels immediately rose to cover his chest and shoulders, bare of all but the silver-ribboned bodice of the borrowed smock, identical to the ones Rhebekka used when she treated wounds—and thus was designed to be worn exclusively by a _woman_. Which Yugi was not.

Chivalry and respect command Timaeus look away but their demands were muted and his perfectly controlled body refused to obey. He was torn between laughing and chiding, interest and annoyance. After the spectacle he'd made about wearing the dress Timaeus had picked to reflect his status, here Yugi was _willing_ wearing one of Rhebekka's smocks?

The witnesses to the spectacle soon included the whole room, and had gone quiet as a roaming storm. The Physician looked up from the patient she'd been treating, annoyed when her extra bandages had yet to arrive. She met the scene with a deer's inquisitive eyes, looking from Timaeus' stark shock and jilted annoyance to Yugi's mortified disbelief that he made no effort to conceal, and rolled her eyes.

"If you two are going to stare at each other all day, can I at least get my bandages?" she held up her hand and curled the fingers.

Reality crashed into them both: the mutual spell between them shattered like glass and the reality that set in was more striking and humiliating then the previous episode. Yugi spun to face her, his fair cheeks crimsoning and doing nothing to hide the color. Timaeus blinked then coughed into his hand, and she thought she saw his tan cheeks turn pink.

"Sorry Rhebekka," Yugi apologized surprisingly level and practiced dignity and control. Stepping back into the role of a Sekhmet priest, he set the platter down on the table next to her and laid the towels down next to it. He turned to the servant girl whose cheek he rubbed with balm and bandaged, and a boy who had a cut on his forehead but showed no other signs of trauma after he'd awoken that morning and Yugi checked his eyes for a concussion.

Only when their health was confirmed did Yugi turn to Timaeus with a glare. "Why are you here?" He accused like Timaeus very presence was an annoyance, his face creased in a frown and his bottom lip protruding. But the Trierarch's ears and eye were sharp and he caught the embarrassment pinking his cheeks, the stutter in his voice and the way his shoulders shook.

With an affectionate smile and his lids sultry sliding half-closed, he said "You're quite adorable when you're angered, did you know that, little one?"

Yugi gawked at him then his eyes were set afire, blazing like amethysts in the sun. "I beg your pardon."

"You're like a kitten trying to be a wildcat." He continued, gaze electrified and his smile curled with a twinkle of amusement. "All frazzled and teeth and claws."

But never enough to be a real threat, Yugi understood.

Timaeus single eye sparkled like a galvanized emerald, and the jagged line of his scar shinned dangerously seductive. Suddenly, the gaze slowly descended, smoothly, from Yugi's face to the curve of his bare neck, the arch of his naked shoulders, the line where the bodice hid his pectorals, smooth stomach, boyish hips and slender legs, to his sandaled feet. Then slowly slid back up, smile curling hungrily as he did and settling on the firm, but trimmed muscles of his arms, and broadness of his shoulders hinting at hidden but fierce strength. His wrists were small and his hands smooth as if he'd never held a weapon in his life, but the fingers were firm and the knuckles calloused from numerous fights. Then he locked eyes with Yugi. The look lasted for several minutes. Timaeus' gaze was impossibly bright and devastatingly penetrating.

Yugi felt his own fire flicker and Timaeus smiled. "Especially dressed like that," he licked his lips like a hungry wolf, approving what he saw and hoping to taste it.

It took all of Yugi's will not to trip.

"May I ask why you're in one of my physician's smocks and not the dress I provided you?" He spoke in a clipped jibe.

The counter Yugi had prepared vanished when comprehension clarified the words. At first, he though he misheard it, but the dark spark Timaeus failed to mask was there beneath the burning green depths: the look of a jilted suitor.

Yugi cocked his head with a lop-sided grin and rolled his wrist. "Well, I _was_ looking for a blade to cut the damn thing, but when I found so many fellow comrades wounded and the Physician working to her bones, I offered my assistance," he resisted a laugh when Timaeus' wolfish masked twitched. "But, of course, she refused to let me help unless I wore one of these wretched things," he tugged at the bodice's hem, shamelessly. "Something about the other one being the only outfit I'll have, but I was _more_ than happy to make the sacrifice."

"Ha!" The laugh rolled off Rhebekka's tone, clear and obvious she'd archived the entire conversation without missing a beat in her work. "I forced him to change because he was going to be around blood." She chuckled, wrapping the arm of a rather young hem-netjer, who looked shocked to paralysis by her boldness. "I don't really care what the Trierarch and his guest do in the privacy of his quarters, but I'll be damned if I let anything that could lead to an infection spread in my infirmary!" Yugi spun to her, face stark with shocked betrayal.

She looked over her shoulder, green eyes snickering over the jewel-encrusted spectacles resting on her nose. She raised her chin to Timaeus whose eyes molted like the emerald sea just before it broke into a violent storm. "You know he asked me if he could cut that thing too? Kept complaining about wearing woman's clothes, but I'm the only Physician, so he had no choice. He's quite the physician though, then again I expected no less from the son of the living Sekhmet." Her praise did little to soften Yugi's rage towards his only ally.

Behind him Timaeus snickered. "I'll leave him in your care then, Rhebekka," He turned to the door. "I only came to check on him."

At the words, Yugi's fingers snapped, and his hands curled into fists, violet eyes fuming. " _I_ ," Defiance rolled off his tone in clips "Don't need a caregiver, least of all you." The snap was harsh and sharp, and made the room gasp. Even Rhebekka's eyes lifted.

Timaeus turned around and met the defiance with a frown. "You think that's true, Yugi?"

Yugi's mask remained neutral and hard. "My wounds have all healed, and your King only ordered you to protect me. I can do that myself, so no, I don't need your help. I am not a child, nor have I behaved like one. I demand you stop treating me as such!"

Saucy. It was the first word Timaeus could think to describe him that fit. Bold, wild, and full of spunk, coupled with that fervent determination to be in control. Oh yes, saucy, described his little Yugi perfectly. "I thought I made that perfectly clear when your safety was first entrusted to me." He said crisp, clean and straight to the point: neither answering the question nor dodging it.

Yugi's eyes narrowed, his fingers curled tightly into his palm and shook. "You don't trust me."

"No, little one, I don't," Timaeus said with a narrowed eye, the other a dangerous slit. His face was neutral and his frown hard. "I don't trust you not to risk yourself and attempt to fly with broken wings."

"That was circumstance," Yugi argued, defensively. "And I do not regret the attempt since I standby what I said, regardless of what your noble intentions, I knew only your reputation and I had no reason to consider you an ally."

"And you still don't," Timaeus finished, cutting him off with a harsh snort. "Ironic, how the one thing you ask of me you are not willing to bestow yourself."

Yugi's mask remained stoic, but the twitch in his shaking fingers betrayed him. "That was different."

"Indeed it was, Timaeus interrupted smoothly. "You already tried to flee once because you didn't trust me. What guarantee do I have you won't try again? Your will is too rash and your skull too thick. _I,_ however, have given you no reason, _not_ to trust me."

Yugi glowered. "Then you're even more arrogant than I thought." His voice was a whisper, low and sharp. "You say I'm a guest but I'm little more than a glamorized prisoner."

Timaeus glared at him. For a moment he looked conflicted, then sighed and shook his head with a patronizingly amused smile. "No, little one, you are not. They," he gestured an arm around him, "Are glamorized prisoners as you've so lightly termed. _You_ , however," He paused and leaned forward, his fingers slipping to curl over the hem of Yugi's bodice and with a sharp tug pulled him directly level with his penetratingly lustrous gaze. The same gaze that sent a treacherous shiver of surrender down Yugi's spine and stole all his will to fight. "Are _mine_ to protect."

Timaeus released him. Yugi remained still. Timaeus turned around and over his shoulder said "I'll return after dinner, until then, he's yours Rhebekka." Timaeus didn't wait for an answer, and shut the door tightly behind him. Once the thick wooden barrier was between them, he collapsed against it. Unable to keep it with in his chest, he bellowed a snort: snort that quickly evolved into a hearty chuckle and finally exploded in a voluminous laugher so rich and humorous that down below, every sailor and soldier stopped to listen. It lasted so long and roared so loud and booming, for an instant they feared their Trierarch had gone mad.

"Great Leviathan!" Timaeus roared his amusement to the Gods. "That boy is a challenge!"

And he enjoyed every minute of it.

X X X

It had felt like ten years, Yugi had stared frozen at the door. In reality it couldn't have been longer than ten seconds. His nerves shot, unable to process what happened and struggling even more to accept it. His face crimsoned and his eyes bulged, slowly understanding. His hand suddenly flew to his chest like he had been burned. The area still warmed from Timaeus' gloved fingers. _Why that blasted—_

Remembering where he was, he controlled himself, and sought a place to escape before he could humiliate himself. He found the descending flight of stairs in the back and stomped to the mess deck a layer below.

Rhebekka watched the whole debacle with a relaxed amusement, counting in her mind, as Yugi no doubt searched for a pot to scream in. Her tease of a Trierarch was weaving his spell a little too well, this time. There was a muffled roar of anger and frustration just as Rhebekka finished counting. The boy returned a minute later: face still red and eyes still angry, but stood solid against the wall. Rhebekka finished bandaging her last patient, grabbed her supply satchel and strolled over. Yugi saw her coming and caught her smirk, and felt his pride wound further. He felt like a child and chided himself, and uttered curses on the cause of his frustration.

"Vexing," he grumbled.

Rhebekka froze with a bewildered blink. "Beg pardon?"

"Vexing," Yugi repeated ringing his fingers. "It is the only way I can describe that man. Completely, utterly and uncontrollably vexing!"

Rhebekka's smile curled with amusement, she looked over each shoulder, before leaning forward to whisper. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were sweet on him."

Yugi gawked. "I—what?"

Rhebekka giggled. "Oh don't be embarrassed. You're not the first to find his rugged mystery appealing. Mine was horrendous when I was a girl."

Yugi blanched. "N-no, that's not—" He paused at the echo of her words. "You were one of his lovers?" He barely chocked the words out.

Rhebekka roared laughing. "Oh heavens no, I'm _much_ too young for him, besides it would've made out ship lives _very_ awkward if you catch my meaning."

Yugi did and said nothing.

Rhebekka leaned against the wall with a cat's grin. "You like him. Don't deny it."

"Where'd you get that idea?" Yugi snorted. His cheeks pink.

Rhebekka's smile was intellectual but cunning. "I've been the youngest of my company since I was a child. People mistake me for a child, despite my advances, but that is their biggest flaw. When people think you a child they mistake you for being naïve. They get careless with their words and their gestures. I know people, Yugi, all I have to do is listen, and they'll tell me everything."

"And what have I betrayed about myself?" He demanded, harsh.

Rhebekka smiled. "Right there," She pointed. "I bring up the subject and you twist it to something else. You get defensive almost immediately. It's because you don't want to admit you find him appealing. So instead you mask it with a witty remark, but you can't hide your blush." Her lashes slid and her smile curled.

Yugi stood still as stone, listening but not commenting. His gestures, though he tried to restrain them, spoke for him.

"I think" Rhebekka smiled, her chin falling to rest in his open palm and balanced it on a jiggling elbow. "Secretly, you enjoy his attentions: you're humbled by his acts of kindness, but they frustrate you because you think he's boasting. You're flattered by his praise, but refuse to acknowledge it because you believe it to be only teasing. And you find yourself attracted to him, but you fight it because you believe his charm the mask of a rake. Am I wrong?"

She wasn't but Yugi did his best not to betray that fact. He didn't need to. "You're imaging that."

Rhebekka's giggled, loud and clear. Her confident smile told him she already knew. "I'm your friend Yugi; don't friends talk about that sort of thing?"

"Girls might," Yugi snorted. "But I don't gossip."

Rhebekka chuckled like a child. "I understand why you don't trust him, yet, Yugi. You simply," she paused and rolled the world off her tongue in a long, final syllable. "Haven't been around him long enough. He isn't wrong about trust being earned not given. I know you don't believe it, but he is trying hard to earn yours. Is it really so difficult to perhaps do the same?"

She was telling him matter-of-factly but it still sounded like a scolding. Even worse to be scolded from someone young enough to be your sister. Yugi thought, reddening. "Perhaps not," Yugi admitted but quickly added. "But he doesn't have to be so arrogant about it."

Rhebekka shook her head and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was another split chapter, but it worked SO much better didn't it? I love Rhebekka, she really stole the show this chapter! And i hope you all liked Timaeus' "surprise"-at Yugi's expense of course ;)
> 
> Note on the Eye: I did a LOT of research on Spanish Galleons, Pirate ships (specifically the pirates of the Caribbean designs) and Ancient boats to make Atlantis' ships as advanced as possible but still set in this time period which led to me doing some rethinking of Timaeus' set up since it needs to be large enough for an army and crew but also light enough to sail in the Nile 9large boats could only be sailed during the flood) so anyway, here's what i got:
> 
> The Eye of Timaeus is a trireme galleon, which means its three masted, and three decked including the main deck and has a higher after-castle and helm, and a smaller forecastle. The Forecastle is the front or bow of the ship, which is normally used as living quarters for the crew but this was removed to make the ships faster: instead, the Timaeus has the infirmary in the forecastle (which I thought made sense since you can bring injured directly there instead of having to lug them up and down stairs), beneath the infirmary is the mess and galley where everyone eats that can only be entered through the upper stairs. The second level is the berth deck: where the crew sleeps, on The Eye, since the crew needs to go right to work, they sleep in hammocks then go right to work either getting ready for battle or rowing the oars. And directly beneath the after castle are the crew's toilets and the magazine where the armor and weaponry is stored: this gives the soldiers easy aspect when they're preparing for battle, and its well guarded by the whole army. The bottom level is the storage deck: from the bow to the main mast is the storage shelved, then the ship's pumps and in the far back beneath the magazine is the brigg or jail.
> 
> The top layer is the main deck, with the main mast, in the front is the forecastle, and in the back is the after-castle: this is where the Great Cabin is, but i redesgined it, so it includes not just the Captains quarters and bath but several other rooms: the first room is the state room which doubles as a navigation room for battle plans and the captain's dinning room: this is where the captain keeps all his treasures, prizes, equipment etc. directly behind it is the Captain's room which takes up half the space and the left half is the Quartermaster's chambers and a joint bath. On either side of the after-castles entrance are two stairs to the helm, where the steering is. Originally, i was thinking of putting the navigation room up there but thought that would be impractical so I went with the back of the helm being the ornament back of the ship. So that's the design i came up with for the interior. The Exterior you all got and i hope this clarifies some stuff, that'll be important later in the story.
> 
> Until then, as always read, review, comment, ask questions, post theories and just go nuts!
> 
> Next Time: Yugi decides to take Rhebekka's advice, Timaeus shares a secret and Yugi's living arrangements come into question, and something happens that has the whole crew talking!


	12. Kindling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi decides to take Rhebekka's advice, Timaeus shares a secret and Yugi's living arrangements come into question, and something happens that has the whole crew talking!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12 chapters posted in 90 days! I never thought I'd be able to accomplish that!
> 
> Little warning updates, will still be primarily weekends, but I've started working and the last two weeks they had me work Friday so expect updates in the early to late afternoons.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing
> 
> Dedications: To all my fans, followers, and reviewers! you guys inspire me so much! Also special thanks to Sakura-chan and Val who helped me through writer's blocked and inspired three more chapters!
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions, post theories and have fun!

_Chapter XII: Kindling_

Yugi spent the rest of the day in Rhebekka's infirmary. It hadn't taken him long to learn why she'd governed so much respect, and it wasn't Timaeus' confidence. Rhebekka's title as Physician was simply that. She commanded so much more. Despite her size Rhebekka used fury and knowledge as her strength. It was _she_ who held their lives in her hands every time the men saw her. _She_ who treated their wounds and her word that declared whether or not they returned to battle. _She_ who decided what they ate or if they would at all. _She_ who demanded they bathe and wash their clothes, and treated the infections of those who ignored her wisdom when on a ship or in battle when infections and accidents could be deadly. The solders obeyed her rules and regulations on the ship as they obeyed their commander in the field. They owed him their loyalty and would gladly lay down their lives for him, but it was _she_ who they owed their lives. And she knew it. And made sure they never forgot it.

Timaeus could not have chosen a better Quartermaster. His duties were to the soldiers and ship-hands whether they were rowing the oars, preparing the sails or training on deck. But health and life be it treating wounds, preparing meals or disinfecting the ship was Rhebekka's authority.

And just like her Trierarch, Rhebekka was a hard mistress: when it came to her domains, Rhebekka missed nothing. Vegetables, not properly skinned and washed, were immediately discarded. Pots and plates not properly sanitized she demand be done again. No one dared enter with hands unwashed, or wore clothes that weren't clean in fear of her wrath. Diet, she declared was the key to health, but preparation was the key to diet, and cleanliness in both the kitchen and the infirmary was important above all else. The woman battled infection and disease with the ferocity of Sekhmet and the tactical brilliance of Timaeus on the battle field.

Yugi was no exception, and he'd spent the day switching between giving medicine to the most stubborn of patients, and serving everyone their evening meals. He was grateful patients ate first and the crew only when Timaeus dismissed them. No one else would catch him wearing one of the Physicians feminine smocks. Under Timaeus' order any House of Life member fortunate to survive the assault without injury or deemed healed and able to work was left in Rhebekka's care and she'd put all but those who were trained as physicians to work in the kitchens.

He could hear the roars of laughter and hammering pounds of the crew below in the mess, and breathed a sigh of relief that mess had a second set of stairs to the infirmary. He secured a bowl for himself and ate upstairs. The table and chair was by no means as spacious or as elegant as the one he'd shared with Timaeus that morning but it was enough for him to enjoy the meal—a stew of thick vegetables, salted meats and tasty broth.

He'd been content to stay all night but Rhebekka insisted she needed no more help and there was more than enough people to clean the dishes and sent him off to wait for Timaeus. Yugi hadn't missed the sly grin as she said it. Now, he found himself standing on the decks once more redressed in Timaeus' clothes and braving the winter air.

He leaned against the ships railing and stared over the darkening waters bathed in the burning mesh Amun's reflection before he descended into the underworld for another night. Timaeus had yet to fetch him, but Yugi wasn't complaining about the broken promise, but now it left him alone and confused if he should return to his rooms. Another thought disturbed him. He didn't have a room. The King occupied the Quartermaster's loft and Rhebekka made a habit of sleeping in the infirmary, he'd be damned if he shared a hammock with the crew. That left only Timaeus. He certainly couldn't impose on him there again. The only thing he could ponder was the couch in the State Room.

Yugi's blood ran cold. Timaeus parting words returning like a vengeful specter. _I'll return_ after _dinner._ Yugi chocked on air, spun around and leaned against the banister, clenching it with tight, white fingers. He covered his mouth, his throat suddenly felt tight and very small.

"There you are," Yugi jumped a good foot in the air with a screech that doubled as a scream and someone lunged to catch him.

"Easy, lad," Timaeus' voice rolled over him like relaxed thunder, surprised and a little amused. He took Yugi's hand and in his shock allowed himself to be led away. "Come, the ship is anchored and the night is upon us. Let us rest."

Yugi blinked owlishly, mind contemplating obedience. Oculars fell on the hand encased almost lovingly in his and narrowed to a shadowed plum. His feet found ground and he pulled his hand away. Shock more than Yugi's strength compelled Timaeus to free it. "You don't need to escort me everywhere. I can walk fine on my own."

Timaeus pivoted to the side throwing a fiercely irritated gaze over his shoulder, then spun completely and glared softly at Yugi with the full force of that brilliant stare. Then he pressed a hand to his forehead, his mouth a single line that released a calming sigh.

"Must everything be a constant battle with you?" His bass tone dropped like a low roll of thunder. "I'm not going to devour you."

Yugi's shoulders shook, his fight losing its strength with each purred promise. The blatant obvious he'd fought so hard to deny settled over him like a lifted fog, and he slumped, defeated. "I have to be strong. I have to fight." His limbs folded in on himself and he stared at his lap. "Or I'll shatter."

Timaeus knelt next to him, a hand placed on his shoulder, but his posture tensed ready to offer more if wanted. Yugi couldn't register his surprise at the action. He'd grown so used to the aristocratic glares, those tender motions and seductive advances, all mild and restrained, that the comforting gesture didn't surprise him as much as he knew it should have.

 _He's trying to earn yours_ , Rhebekka had said. _Is it really so difficult to perhaps do the same?_ It was, but not for the reason she thought.

"I was so spoiled. My father promised to never let anything happen to me and I believed him. My mother was everything to me and I loved her. And Pas and Muth and Menk and Maat were always there to protect me, and I let them because I didn't think the world could touch me… Now my father is dead. My mother is gone. And all I can do is grieve," he said missing a beat and unsure where the low, vulnerable voice telling his tale was coming from. It certainly wasn't from him. Not when he'd taught himself to expect betrayal. "Pas and Muth can't help me and I have to protect myself from Menk and Maat now." There was a soft pause and his next words were a chocked sob. "How are you supposed to go from having everyone to having no one?"

Confessing the truth did nothing to ease his trepidation nor did the stoic glare in Timaeus' gaze soften. Sometime during the story he'd taken to sitting next to the smaller and now directed his neutral mask towards the sky. Guilt set in as well as shame. And regret, Yugi felt it burning in his heart. That he'd confessed something so personal to someone who knew nothing of loss and sacrifice.

"You don't," Timaeus confessed with a softness that was like a bird's wing across Yugi's cheek. Yugi looked up at him in surprise, but the man's gaze had not left the sky. "You can't, you can only stand up and keep moving." There was elegance as he spoke, like the specter of a past life had temporary possessed his body. "What other choice do you have?"

"You could find someone to help you?" Yugi suggested and they both snorted at his hypocrisy.

"You could," Timaeus chuckled. "There are many kind strangers in the world, but it's difficult to tell them apart from those who would destroy you."

"Was that the case with your King?" Yugi asked without thinking, but regretted it when Timaeus shot him a look so sharp he visibly flinched. "Sorry," Yugi broke the gaze and looked away. "That's too personal."

Timaeus pinched the arc of his nose and sighed. "I couldn't tell you," Timaeus said thoughtfully. "I don't know what I did to impress him, but he offered me patronage and I had no loyalty to anyone then and nothing to lose if he betrayed me." He paused to chuckle "And yet he didn't and it didn't surprise me. Perhaps secretly I hoped he was that someone to help me. I have no illusions had I not met him I'd be dead."

The confession was more than Yugi could bear. The information brought more questions than answers and solved no riddles, and only confirmed what he already knew. Yet to Yugi, it felt like Timaeus had confessed to him what he kept secret from everyone else and the truth of his past.

"Perhaps that choice was what saved me," Timaeus continues, as if he were alone. "The decision to let my guard down and hope that he was being truthful." He turned to Yugi and smiled. "It was quite a relief to be free of the burden of strength."

He couldn't disagree. He'd bore that burden since his father died. It seemed the only way to keep himself from falling when he'd lost everyone else.

"You're fortunate you'll be with your loved one soon. Then you can share that burden." Timaeus reminded and Yugi felt the gravity of it fall from his shoulders like a soaked mantle.

"I'm free," he whispered to himself.

"Yes, you are," Timaeus promised, leaning closer. "You're free and no one will ever harm you." There it was again that purred pact that made his defiance want to melt and surrender to all it promised. "The only one who can hurt you now is yourself."

It was a warning as well as a promise. It was _he_ who stood at the crossroads: not the King who he was indebted his life or his siblings waiting for him in a palace of sand, not even the infuriating and comforting Knight who held his heart and life in his hands so tenderly like a broken-winged bird ready to fly again. He, who made the decision of whether to melt into the pain of the past or take that uncertain step into the future. Whatever choice he made: it was his.

If he was willing to try.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to try."

Timaeus rolled his eyes, smiling. There was that stubborn will, but it was softer now, more open and less defiant. It would do for now.

"I'm pleased." He said and rose to his feet with a serpentine leap. "Then let us rest, I fancy you do not wish to sit on the deck all night." He offered a hand and Yugi took it.

"No, I suppose not," He rose to his feet and followed him through the double doors between the afts two stairs, and entered the aftercastle's inner chamber.

The State Room, as Yugi now realized what it was, was a wide chamber section in parts and connected to the other rooms through a series of doors decorated with ornamented carvings. A combination of moonlight leaking through the windows and candles burning everywhere illuminated the darkness crafting a cool, shadowy feel that Yugi found strangely comforting.

Overhead, iron chandeliers swayed with the rocking of the ship, their iron rings covered in melted candles like the water swept towers of a monstrous sandcastle. Two tables occupied the center: one a long dark wood table and four ornate gilt armchairs, Yugi recognized from that morning. The food had been cleared away but the white table cloth and candelabras remained. The other a massive, circle sealed in place featuring an enormous topographic map and a series of module ships and what looked like game pieces. The left wall was a series of compartments housing scrolls of maps, constellation sketches, and other organized navigational tools.

He turned his attention away from them and searched the room for a place to rest but all he could find were the window seats aligning the far wall beneath the windows. It looked cruel compared to what he was used to but chose not to complain. "I suppose the coach will suffice."

Timaeus stopped outside the Great Cabin and looked at him with an owlish blink. "What is this then?"

Yugi shrugged like it were a simple answer. "Where I'll be sleeping? I certainly can't stay in your room again?"

"Of course you can!" Timaeus protested, and shoved the doors to his room open and gestured inside. "I'd be a horrible host if I let you sleep in there, now come." It wasn't an order but an invitation and Yugi followed.

"The bed is large enough," Timaeus said, lighting the candelabras, first the one on the night stand, then the one on his desk. He blew out the light, removed his mantle, and tossed it to the couch. "Besides," he removed the rest of his armor and added them to the clutter of his desk. "I'm used to sleeping on the couch."

"Absolutely not!" Yugi objected right in his face. "The bed is yours, I have no right to take it, if anyone will stay on the couch it's me, I'm your guest after all."

"And," Timaeus argued. "As my guest, it is you who will be given the bed, now enough squabbling." He spun Yugi around and ushered him towards the canopy, but Yugi would not go quietly.

"I refuse!" Yugi dug his heels into the carpet and threw the dispute over his shoulder.

"Fine!" Without warning, Timaeus bent and hooked his arms under Yugi's legs and middle and lifted him into his arms. Yugi shrieked and immediately protested the action but Timaeus dodged his blows, shoved open the canopy's curtain with his back and proceeded to deposit his beautiful spitfire on the bed.

"I am not taking your bed!" Yugi jumped up and marched over to the desk where Timaeus was putting out the candle lights.

"I'm giving it to you!" Timaeus said with enough finality that all his counters vanished. Satisfied, Timaeus opened and adjacent wardrobe and pulled out a silver under-armor identical to the one he worse but clean of sweat and the days dust.

"Where are you going?" Yugi demanded watching him banish into an adjacent room.

"To bathe," Timaeus explained. "I have my own washroom and toilet which you're welcome to use as you wish." He left without another word and Yugi collapsed on the couch in a huff.

"Fine, be that way." Yugi fished around for Timaeus mantle and pulled it into his lap. Stubbornly, he pulled it over his arms, undid the straps of his shoes, and lied down to sleep on the couch.

X X X

Timaeus emerged from the room less than an hour later, and donning a clean under-armor. He shook his head scattering raindrops and ran a hand from his now clean hair, free from salt dust, wood specks and the days dust. He understood immediately why Rhebekka insisted on constant bathing at sea, and deposited the drying cloth in the basket.

He arched his back feeling a swing of fatigue and retired to sleep. He fished around for his mantle, only to find it already sprawled across the couch—on top of Yugi.

"Stubborn thing!" Timaeus growled and fought down a curse. "Fine." With the greatest tenderness, he slid his arms under the sleeping bundle, stopping if he so much as suspected a stir. Tenderly he curled his arms around the boy's middle and lifted him into his arms. Grateful, the bed hadn't been made that morning, he set Yugi down on the mattress, removed his mantle and covered Yugi with the blankets.

"Now, then," He unfolded the mantle from his arm and spreading over his shoulders. Discarding his boots, he flopped lazily onto his back, mantle covering to his waist and let sleep's oblivion take him.

It didn't last long, however, when Yugi shifted in his sleep. Used to his lumpy cot in the temple, he'd molded easily into the couch's comfort, but now the bed felt too soft and the sheets much thicker than the mantle he'd worn. Sleepily he opened his eyes and curious fingers sought answers. They felt silk and feathers and Yugi shot up. Suspicions confirmed, his eyes shot to the couch in anger, where Timaeus slept, raggedly breathing and limps flopped about like wet cloths.

With an agitated growl and wicked smirk, Yugi slipped out of the bed stomped to the couch, grabbed the mantle and, with a mighty tug, pulled it out from under its master and sent Timaeus sprawling in shock to the floor. He landed ungracefully and hissing as his limbs ached. His eye opened, and he reached for a blade but stop when he recognized the black silk covered feet of his attacker.

"What?" Yugi taunted, arms crossed in a smirk. "No witty remarks?"

"You," Timaeus hissed and was on his feet in a single move. "Do you. Have. _Any_. Idea. How lucky you are I didn't attack you?" He set his blade on the table to rid himself of the temptation. "If you were an enemy…"

"Well I'm not," Yugi interrupted smoothly, ignoring the threat and point to the bed with stubborn will. "Now get in the bed right now!"

Timaeus' brows knitted together, his smile a twitch of barely restrained fury. "You're in no position to be making demands, little one." He stepped closer allowing his height to magnify his face like a lizard unfurling its frill. "I chose the couch, now get to bed, before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you there."

"Don't even think about it!" Yugi blushed, his whole body frazzling like a hissing cat.

Neither of them noticed how loud their argument had grown. Or that in their anger they'd woken the King who slept next door, and found himself in the State room determined to silence them, only to be caught up in the shock of the conversation. Their Trierarch's scream had awoken the soldiers, who were light sleepers by trade and on were on the main deck in an instant. The stampede had roused Rhebekka who ordered the staff who'd made beds of blankets on the infirmary floor to stay put while she saw to the commotion. They found themselves barreling into the Trierarchs rooms and stood frozen outside the adjacent State room, where the King stood stunned and they assumed the worst until they too heard the echo of the two occupants' ranting.

"It's your bed and that's that. I will not take it!" Yugi declared with finality.

"I said I gave it to you, what more do you want?" Timaeus groaned in frustration, then taunted. "Do you want me to tuck you in again is that it?"

"Be serious will you!" Yugi stomped his foot, face blooming crimson like an unfurling flower. "I'm trying to be polite and you make jokes."

"I never joke, Yugi," Timaeus corrected. "I am tired and fed up with this, now please go to bed so we may both enjoy this night?"

"You are impossible!" Yugi shook his head in aggravation.

"And you," Timaeus leaned forward with a dangerous purr. "Are far too stubborn for your own good. I am _this_ close to tying you to that bed and having it my way."

"Try it and I'll have you on the floor again, and then we'll see who gets it his way." Yugi threatened raising his hands and his fingers mimicked claws.

"Do not be foolish, Yugi," Timaeus leaned closer his singular eye blazing with emerald fire that Yugi's burning amethyst met spark for spark. "I am a seasoned soldier and you, I'll bet, have never worked a day in your life. There is _nothing_ stopping me from overpowering you, if you're so determined to be stubborn. Were I less kind, you'd be on your back right now, or worse, over my knee."

"And if I were less controlled and twice as bold, you'd feel me in your stomach right now," Yugi boasted fearlessly "I'm not as delicate as I look."

"As I've _delightedly_ come to learn." Timaeus licked his smirking lips.

Their eyes locked the other in a contest of glares. Stubborn and unwillingly to relinquish their claim, completely unaware of the crowd their ruckus had caused outside. Of the shocked faces of Timaeus' men and Yugi's fellow temple hands that defied their mistress' orders and stayed hidden in the back to listen.

Finally, with a frustrated sigh, Timaeus collapsed his face in his palm and said. "Alright, alright, I'm tired of arguing." He pulled his hand away and looked at Yugi. His mouth was dropped, his limps heavy and his glaring eyes just as red and black-rimmed as his. "We're not going to agree on this, so let us compromise? What do you suggest?" He chivalrously offered Yugi the first choice.

Surprised by the new freedom, Yugi looked over his shoulder. His eyes scrutinized the bed, and then turned to Timaeus. "The bed is big enough, why not we…share it?" He mumbled the last part but Timaeus heard it, and everyone left outside was left to speculate.

"Really?" Timaeus arched a brow, and Yugi groaned when his smirk returned. "You don't find sharing my bed repulsive?"

"I'm suggesting it, am I not?" Yugi snapped. "You wanted to compromise?"

"Alright, alright," Timaeus said lifting the fallen mantle and laying it on the bed. "We'll each take a side, unless you'd rather I wrap my arms around you?"

"Try it and I will put out your other eye!" Yugi promised loosening the tight rings of the garment's neck.

"Would you like me to help you get that off?" he offered politely, but Yugi still took it as teasing.

"I can do it myself." He said and climbed into the bed backing in as far as he could until he hit the wall and slept facing it.

"Alright then, little one," Timaeus slipped in next to him, and pulled over all but one of the sheets; let his little one have an additional barrier to ease his worry. "But let me know if you change your mind about my arms?"

"Go to sleep." Yugi snapped.

"Very well," Timaeus chuckled. "Good night, Udjalah."

Yugi grunted suddenly. "Call me, Yugi. It sounds odd when you say my name."

Timaeus chuckled. "You said it was only for family? I am simply respecting your wishes."

"Wishes change," Was the blunt answer. "Call me Yugi."

He couldn't see Timaeus smile but he could hear it in his final words. "As you wish,"

The rest was silence. Outside with their words still fresh, all the ship heard was a compromise made over a bed, the swish of cloth and the bed dipping beneath _two_ occupant's weights. In the back the girls' snickers, soldiers fought to contain their laugher and Dartz buried his shocked face in his hands and shook his head. Rhebekka, the only one having any real context of the situation, ushered everyone out with a ferocity that rivaled her work ethic. Over her shoulder, she stole a glance from her King who gave her a nod. The two of them made a silent pact to gather the night's context and speak to their respected charge in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bear, specifically the beginning. You have no idea how hard it is to get the dialogue right, but the goal was it was time for Yugi and Timaeus to break the ice (lord know I complain about them-usually Yugi-being too stubborn) but don't think just because they're not being hostile anymore doesn't mean it'll be all candy hearts and roses ;)
> 
> Glossary:
> 
> Quartermaster: Often replacing First-Mate on military ships. quartermaster commanded a great deal of power and influence; basically the captain commanded all authority but all other times the crew obeyed the quartermaster; usually they were elected by the crew, other times they occupied an already important position (in this case Rhebekka acting as Surgeon and Cook); other duties included punishing crew fro minor offenses, kept records, accounts and books for the ships, divide plunders and even became Captain of a captured ship.
> 
> Next Time: Yugi finds himself in a compromising position-and must deal with the aftermath.


	13. Gossip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: Yugi finds himself in a compromising position-and must deal with the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DEDICATIONS: This one is for Sakura-chan whose ideas inspired me when I had nothing, and for Val who helped me through every motivational block, word struggle and every time i fought myself over whether something made sense or not! You two are the best!
> 
> Dedications: I own nothing but the plot and the design of the Eye of Timaeus
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment ask questions and go nuts!

 

_Chapter XIII: Gossip_

Yugi woke to Amun’s persistent dawn shining through the glass windows and groaned. Flares of lemon light threatened to annoy him unless he awoke, but he was warm and comfortable and abhorred the thought of leaving his cocoon of warmth and softness. Yugi groaned and squinted hard. With a sluggish whine, he peeked an eye open. It would be his luck that the Trierarch’s cabin was built facing the East. He expected Timaeus rose with dawn.

 He rolled onto his side and stretched his limbs: chest puffed forward and arms back obtusely then arches forward in an acute curl: the gesture distinctly cat-like. His back brushed the warmth behind him and rolled over to snuggle closer into it. His eyes slid closed and his fingers curled over, smooth, slippery silks. His cheeks rubbed deeper into the snuggling warmth, feeling heat under his cheek, and the rippling hardness of firm muscles under tight flesh.

 _Flesh_. 

Yugi's eyes flew open and sprang back like a startled caracal. He clapped his hands over a voiceless scream. Eyes bulged with stunned mystification, and his stomach gurgled with a nauseous mixture of fright, flattery and bewildered shock. Timaeus lay curled on his side, resigned to the left of the bed. Oblivious and sleeping soundly, and completely ignorant that Yugi had spent the night pressed against him. The compromising nature of the position set in and Yugi blanched then bloomed crimson.

He flushed with a heat that wasn’t environmental. It wasn't fear that caused his heart to pound. Nor was it shock. In an effort to distance himself from the cause of his embarrassment, Yugi scuttled backwards but slipped on the slick silks and landed on his back.

A groan, low and relaxed as a roll of thunder caused Yugi's heart to stop. Then the bed shifted, and he struggled to regain a more dignified position. Timaeus woke with an arch of his back and rose with no further complication. If he noticed Yugi, he gave no hint and dressed in his armor. Yugi's heart hammered though he couldn't figure out why. A mixture of relief and embarrassment clashed against confusion and disbelief. He shook his head trying to clear it, a low growl rumbled in his throat.

Ears and eyes sharp with alert, Timaeus spun towards the sound then relaxed with a surprised blink when he caught Yugi there. "You're up early," His smile was relaxed, his voice a soft purr.

Yugi's face burned even redder. "Y-Y-Yes, well," he stuttered like a child caught sneaking sweets before dinner. He coughed into his fist and collected himself. "I'm used to rising early." 

Timaeus' brow arched. Yugi's chin dropped with a shudder at such a weak excuse. He swung his legs and prepared to hop off, but Timaeus’ hand caught his shoulder. His brows knitted together. His mouth pulled into an unreadable line. Yugi shivered when he raised a gloveless hand then pressed a palm to his forehead. Yugi's opened with an owlish blink.

"Perhaps you should rest," Timaeus suggested, lacking his usual command but the small shove to his shoulder forced Yugi to sit. "You seem feverish." The earnest concern and sheer oblivion of it nearly caused Yugi's heart to burst. His presence swallowed the room making it impossible to look anywhere but his eye and his scar. And they were like mist and smoke and water and all unobtainable, insubstantial things.

 It was too much. Yugi lost his nerve and pushed Timaeus' hand away. "I'm fine!" It came out in a harsh squeak. Timaeus retracted his hand with a look of surprise and Yugi used the opportunity to look away. 

He scooped his sandals off the floor and rushed to the door. "I'll be helping Rhebekka this morning." He slid the door open as he spoke. One step and he'd be free.

"One moment." Timaeus stole his chance when he grabbed Yugi’s arm. Yugi wanted to wrench it free but found he couldn't move. Timaeus spun him slightly and placed a new set of clothes in his arms. Similar to the smock he’d worn previously, it was sleeveless and laced up the front, but leather straps replaced silver ribbons and the skirt was cropped to resemble a tunic with a belt to go around the waist. 

Yugi looked up with an owlish blink.

Timaeus smiled. "Since you disliked my gift of fine silks and I didn't have the heart to destroy it," he purred against Yugi's ear. The warm breathe teased his hair and Yugi fought the urge to shudder. "I thought you'd prefer this instead."

He pressed a quick kiss to Yugi's ear and left the room. 

Yugi's knees buckled. He collapsed to the floor with a loud gasp of air.

                                               X         X         X

 Dawn had already settled over the desert when Yugi finished dressing. Morning dew still dampened the air. The chill was a welcome relief against his burning skin. Mists whirled over the Nile like phantasms bathing the shores in soft, pale lights. 

At dawn Amun’s warmth made even the desert look safe, but instead of promise and new beginning Yugi thoughts were only of Timaeus. Just the memory of that morning and his entire body flushed with a wave of unbearable heat.

 _I’m not some slave girl!_ He burned with shame. He had _snuggled_ against Timaeus. His captor. The Trierarch. He had _snuggled_ against _Timaeus_ , of all creatures! The man who just the night before had offered him comfort if he chose to accept it. Had he? Without even realizing it?That was the question that burned Yugi the most.

He trekked across the deck in a daze. Groups of boatswain struggled to raise anchors. Riggers scuttled about in the overhead nets untying the sails like insects caught in a spider’s web. Soldiers lacking their armor donned the roles of able bodied sailors and massed on deck. He spied Timaeus delivering commands from the helm, above him. The Atlantian King at his side always eyeing the man with pride.

The sight of him sent a frisson through Yugi. His eyes were cold and unreadable, his expression neutral, and his voice commanded only authority. This wasn’t the Timaeus who teased him mercilessly and whose constant insistence to remain at his side infuriated him. No, this was the imperial-willed Trierarch; unbreakable, untouchable and whose loyalty was matched only by his confidence in his power. He looked at Yugi once, a quick, cursory glance but in that moment his eyes softened and the line of his mouth looped to a smile, then he looked away and the mask returned.

Something in Yugi fluttered. That was the Timaeus from the night before: the Timaeus who’d promised him freedom when they first met. The Timaeus who, if Yugi thought about it now, _had_ kept his word, every word, and—considering Yugi’s own temper—had been extraordinarily patient with him. It was the same Timaeus that he’d bantered with the night before. The one who’s teasing felt like a game to enjoy and not a veiled desire to conquer him.

He felt a sudden rush of heat and shook off the thoughts, and hurried to the infirmary, and pulled. The doors didn’t open. Confused, he tugged again, but the doors remained locked. There was a snicker behind him. He could hear the steady mummer of gossip woven into conversation. He whirled around. Soldiers were exiting the mess and forming cliques on the main deck: murmuring secrets and casting him glances. They silenced when they caught him staring. Then their conversations became louder, their smiles perverse, their glares accusing and disapproving stares.

Yugi froze spotlighted under their scrutiny, and curious of the cause. Darkness twisted his gut, and he flushed. Oh Sekhment, did they know? His face hardened and he held his chin proudly. Secretly, his heart was in shambles. Amun, he didn’t want to think any of them might suspect him of getting cozy with their General.

He shook off the thoughts and descended the stairs to the mess with his chin raised proudly—and nearly choked on the humid air thick with the wet stench of ash, sweat and spices.  Clouds of steam bubbled from huge pots and intermingled with damp smoke. His throat clogged. His eyes stung.

Through the haze, he saw straggling crew crowding the benches of the mess hall, finishing the last of their ales and piling their dishes for Rhebekka’s assistants. Yugi crept along the wall hoping to avoid their eyes, but the effort was in vain, and he caught several of the soldiers staring. None of them smiled when they looked at him, one even purposely shoved him as he walked past, and Yugi caught himself on the wall.

Servants scuttled about in the smoke carrying dishes to a wood tub of soapy water or carrying trays of food up a secondary staircase, Yugi assumed led to the infirmary. The girls paused and gasped when they saw him: some blushed and ducked their faces; others covered their mouths to keep from giggling.

He blinked baffled, but ignored them and slipped into the galley, a semi-circular alcove embedded in the far wall encircling a brick, gimballed caboose. Pots, pans, utensils, sacks of dried ingredients and bushels of herbs hung along the walls. Racks of dishes and spices rested over small stones and a large side table where servants chopped ingredients. Only small windows provided any ventilation. Tables were piled high with floods of bowls and dirty plates. From the center where a brick stove burned, Rhebekka barked orders and dumped heaps of broth thick with vegetables and meat chunks into wooden bowls.

She caught Yugi over her shoulder, and spun to face him, her face a mask of surprise. “Yugi?” she blinked then laughed. “I didn’t think you’d be up at all today?”

With a bewildered blink, Yugi replied “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Rhebekka paused like she was torn between curious desire and dignified pride. “No matter,” she said at last, and fixed her emerald spectacles.  “Did you eat with Timaeus then?”

Heat was upon Yugi before he was aware enough to stop it. “No, he—” Red painted Yugi’s cheeks and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. With a grunt he shook his head to keep from embarrassing himself further.

"I see," Rhebekka raised a skeptical brow but her smile was sly. She spun around and filled two bowls with broth and set them on a tray alongside a plate of bread that was fluffier than Yugi was used to, and thick slices of fruits. She handed him an empty mug and gestures towards the barrels. "Beer's in there. We're conserving juice and water until we arrive in Djanet." 

Yugi understood and filled both mugs. She gestured to a table in the back and set the tray down between them. Yugi studied his choices and gathered a few slices of bread. It was soft and fluffy: nothing like the coarse barely cakes he was used to. He examined the stew: it was a hearty broth, golden green with boiled onions, garlic cloves, sliced leeks and thick with chunks of rubbery white meat, Yugi realized was fish. The combination was odd, tangy and robust but pleasant none the less.

“You’ll have to forgive the taste,” Rhebekka said, though it didn’t sound like an apology. “I’m not used to the Nile’s ingredients.”

“It’s delicious.” Yugi said honestly, swallowing a large spoonful. He broke a piece of bread in half and dunked it. The soft texture absorbed the broth and became soggy in his hand, to his great surprise.

Rhebekka giggled. “It’s wheat, Yugi. I’m afraid it’s not as thick as barley.” She chuckled then spun to the crowd and boomed "Alright, lads and gents. The men are fed so feed yourselves! Do it now, or you'll have to wait for dinner!" She warned then plopped on the other side of the table, chin in her palms and eyes wide like a child anxious for a bed time story.

Yugi’s spoon froze and he blinked at her then he frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?” The words were arched with defense.

Rhebekka blinked. “Like what?” she asked, earnestly confused.

“Like you expect me to tell you something? Something you know but I don’t.” Yugi snapped a little harsher than he intended, and swallowed a large spoonful harshly. “I’ve been getting looks all morning.”

            “You have?” Rhebekka blinked earnestly surprise. “From who?”

“Everyone,” Yugi grumbled. “Servants, soldiers, I swear even the king looked at me differently for a moment?”

“Oh _that_ ,” Rhebekka understood and to Yugi’s surprise her giggle sounded sheepish. “Well, you two made quite a commotion the other night.” She piped and, like child who’d gotten a reaction for naughty antics, added “apparently you woke the whole ship up?”

Yugi froze then pinched his nose, brows knitted together in frustrated annoyance. “We argued. That was all.”

“Must’ve been _quite_ an argument, but I must say,” said Rhebekka with a sidelong glance. “To have you both fall into bed.”

Yugi chocked and nearly spat out his drink, aghast. “What? What are you implying, Rhebekka?”

The crooked smile that looked slitted with secret knowledge, and the sly way she said it, confirmed that the words were far from innocent. “You tell me, Yugi? It’s obvious you’re sweet on him?”

Yugi felt his face flame crimson. “Apep and all devils,” he cursed. “All we did was argue over where to sleep! He insisted I take the bed. I insisted I take the coach, we finally agreed to share it. He had one side, I had the other. That. Is. All.” He punctured the final three words with a hiss that promised a venomous bite.

She nodded, but Yugi knew from her face even if she believed him no one would believe it the truth. They already had their own. A wave of horror swept over him. His limbs became weak as wet grass and he collapsed in his seat. His face aflame and mortified, he buried it in his folded arms. “Lady of heaven, is _that_ what they think? That I’m his mistress now?”

“They predicted that already?” Rhebekka said bluntly. Yugi shot up and looked at her with horror. She sighed and said apologetically. “Don’t look at me like that, aside from Timaeus and the King only I and your fellow hem-netjer know your identify. The soldiers only know you as a servant who Timaeus rescued. Now why would he do that if he didn’t like you?”

Never before in his life had Yugi wished he could disappear. “And now their suspicions are confirmed.” The chuckle was dry and bitter. “And they hate me now?”

“Oh, Yugi, it’s not that.” Rhebekka said, rubbing a soothing hand through his hair. “Who the Trierarch takes as a lover is no more their business than it is their say in it. It is nothing to do with you,” she said with a comfort that morphed into a grave laugh. “Witless brutes care nothing for context. They could easily see it as your way of saying thank you, instead they assume you’re trying to seduce the King’s heir.”

“Damn them all, I’d sooner seduce a—wait,” Yugi’s anger subdued when one of her words struck. “His heir? You mean Timaeus?”

“The same.” Rhebekka nodded with a grin and downed a heavy gulp of mead.

Yugi blinked in surprise. It wasn't uncommon for childless kings to select one of their generals to succeed them. The process had become common in Kemet after Tutenatem had died without an heir. But unless some tragedy occurred that Yugi had yet to hear of, King Dartz was not childless.

"I thought the King Dartz had a daughter?" He asked bewildered

"He does.” Rhebekka confirmed. “The Princess Christina. She came of age just this past year.”

"Oh.” The confirmation did little to ease Yugi’s confusion. “Then is Atlantis patriarchal?" It _was_ common practice, but not unheard of for woman to rule in her name if she were the King’s only heir.

"Oh heavens no,” Rhebekka laughed. “Atlantis is far more progressive than that. You see,” she snickered like she was telling him the beginning of a joke. “Before he was Lord of Locri, Timaeus lived under the care of the King. Trained alongside his own daughter. Gossip was they grew quite close, maybe even liked each other.”

Yugi didn’t miss her undertone. "You mean they were lovers?" Yugi gasped but couldn't be surprised.

Rhebekka shrugged. “I honestly couldn’t tell you. There was certainly talk. Not a day went by when maids weren’t gossiping about wedding plans and soldiers were making bets on who’d propose first. In all the years I’ve known him; I know he cared for her deeply. He does still. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were.”

For a reason he couldn’t explain, Yugi wanted to turn away. It had nothing to do with him, but he wanted to hear more. “I see, and the King approved.” It wasn’t a question.

“How could he not?” Rhebekka giggled. “He’s unequaled in battle. He has love of Locri and the support of Atlantis behind him. He commands unwavering loyalty of his men and the respect of his comrades, and he is the youngest of them all. The King loves him as a son, and his loyalty to him is matched by none. What else could he ask for in a potential bridegroom?”

“And I imagine the princess’ fancy helped?” Yugi had not realized he’d spoken the words he’d been listening so intently. So lost in the perfection of the fantasy.

“Yes, he may be King, but Dartz _loves_ his daughter most. Which would make it all nice and neat for the King if Timaeus weren’t so damn honorable.” She took another swing of her ale. “He’s too chivalrous to marry a girl for politics.”

Yugi shot up. “But,” he choked on his surprise. “They were lovers.”

“Yes,” Rhebekka nodded, placing her chin in her palm, and her fingers dancing over her mug. A half-lidded smile on her face. “They _were_ , yet Timaeus never once confessed to being engaged, and the princess remains unmarried.”

A surprising lightness suddenly swept over him: the heaviness in his chest evaporated, and his shoulders loosened like they’d been released from a great strain. His fingers clenched his mug, only half empty. It was surprising and frightening. This sudden flutter in his chest that Yugi couldn’t explain. “Then…it ended?”

“It did when I met him at least,” Rhebekka shrugged, swirling her fingers over her mug and wiped the corner of her mouth on her arm. “As far as I know nothing ever came of it. If they ever were its ended and did long ago. There are tons in Atlantis who believe they are still, but only they know the details.” She sported a smug smile. “And I flatter myself to think I know Timaeus well enough to know he’s above that.”

Her tone was simple and matter-of-fact. “If you ask me, I think they were but found their love was simply that of a Princess and her General: an unwavering loyalty, an unbreakable trust, and true friend’s affection. But that is not love. Not the love a husband feels for his wife, at least.”

“Oh,” For some reason that pleased him. His stomach bubbled with the bewildering ache he tried to soothe with food but it brought him no release. It was bewildering and unsettling. Once more his thoughts drifted to Timaeus. Then another thought was upon him, one less pleasant. “Wait! Then they think I’m trying to take him from her?” His chagrin bled into his voice.

“Probably,” Rhebekka said with a shrug and rose from her seat. “They’re daft, all of them! But then again they’re soldiers, they don’t need the facts, they only assume. Are you finished?”

Lost in his dazed fit, Yugi hadn’t heard her. Then he blinked and stared down at his empty bowl and half-drunk mug. “Yeah,” He finished it in a gulp wiped the access on his arm. “I’m finished.”

She dumped the dirty dishes on a pile and bellowed to the rest of the room. “Has everyone eaten? Good, now get to work.” The servants obeyed and Yugi found himself lost in the chaos and the world became a blur. He tried to find Rhebekka, but the lioness was in Mistress Mode and her words were bites. He slipped through the crowd and spied a tray of bowls still steaming on the counter.

“Who are those for Rhebekka?” He asked without thinking.

She spun towards him, ready to pounce for being interrupted. Her expression dropped then morphed to a self-scolding growl. “Oh Blast me!” She smacked her forehead. “The brigs still need to eat—“

“The brigs?” Yugi piped up. Below the storage deck, two layers below. No one to snap at him or give him dirty looks. No one to bother him or interrupt his thoughts. “I’ll do it!” Yugi volunteered before she could finish and grabbed the tray of bowls.

“Yugi!” Rhebekka called, but he was out before she could grab him. She watched him vanish and her face blanched. “Leviathan’s scales!” she growled and yanked at her bangs.

She knew _exactly_ who occupied the brigs, and when Yugi found out, the Trierarch would _not_ be pleased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: Dartz confronts Timaeus on an important matter and Yugi learns exactly who resides in the briggs. Oh and did I mention a kiss?


	14. Traitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dartz confronts Timaeus on an important matter and Yugi learns exactly who resides in the briggs. Oh and did I mention a kiss?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing; all reference to historical people and places are fictional representations of themselves. I do however own the ship designs.
> 
> As always read, review, comment, ask questions, post theories and go nuts! Thank you all so much! I can't believe how popular this story is already! i knew it would be but i didn't expect it to be this fast! I haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet!

_Chapter XIV: Traitors_

_The Eye of Timaeus_ was on the Nile less than an hour after dawn. From his position at the helm, Timaeus spun the wheel sharply. With a sharp jerk, the ship roared into the current. The repositioned sails caught the north bound wind and propelled the ship forward with a burst of speed. Down below the sailors heard their command to row and in unison they propelled the enormous weight of the oars forward in heavy circular motions, accentuating the current.

Timaeus steered into the Canopic current, veering right and the _Eye of Timaeus_ flew. The galleon glided weightlessly through the Nile: sails flared and bow poised to strike, she bore all the ferocity, grace and majesty of a dragon flying across the sea. Her power born from strength, air, and sea: the air and waves her strength and the strength of her men her ally.

Timaeus stood at the helm, piloting the ship like he was an extension of the ship herself. With the wind blowing through his air, the pungent perfume of salt and papyrus reeds filling his throat, the cacophony of waves crashing at his ship's back and the rising sun illuminating the trek north: Timaeus could only smile a beaming grin of pride. A price only felt with the absolute achievement of his greatest accomplishment. This ship, _his_ ship, was unstoppable.

"We shall arrive in Djanet by dusk," he boasted proudly.

"Excellent," Dartz approved with a regal nod. There was a pause before his next words. "Our young Udjalah will be pleased."

"He's finally going home," Timaeus agreed with a boisterous laugh. "Yugi will be delighted."

"Indeed," Dartz said equanimously. "Curious you only call him by his child name and not his title?"

"His personal preference," Timaeus said with a shrug then added with a curt smile. "I was happy to oblige."

"You've grown fond of him, I see?" Dartz asked with an arched brow. His tone did not change.

"I have," Timaeus nodded. "He's quite pleasant when he isn't being hostile." There was a chuckle in his voice. "But still _incredibly_ stubborn."

"Indeed," The word was low and his next ones were lower. "Is that the only reason?"

Recognizing the drop in the tone, Timaeus switched the helm to manual and rotated to meet his King's stoic expression with one of his own. "What other reason is there?" The tone was neutral but the undertone bit with the accusation.

It was the King who broke the tension. "Do not think less of me," he said in an aged sigh. "But what did you and he quarrel over last night?"

The mask dropped and Timaeus blinked with bewildered surprise. With a grunt he answered. "I'd hardly call it a quarrel. We simply debated over where he would sleep. I insisted he take the bed in the Great cabin and I'd take the couch, but he _constantly_ insisted it was mine. At last we compromised. Is that what all this is about?"

Dartz shook his head, his face torn between humor and antipathy at his own silliness. "A man's foolery," he chided to no one then met his general's gaze. "Yes, but I'm afraid that is not all," the King said almost apologetically. "Unfortunately, your," he paused and there was a veiled chuckle in his voice, "quarrel, aroused the whole ship. And the men's imaginations are not so innocent."

Were he a less controlled man, Timaeus would've raged. "Are they now?" His gloved hand clenched the wheel of the helm so tight the wood began to splinter. "Did they learn nothing from my last address?"

"They have their opinions but they know better than to speak them," Dartz mollified, and added "They would not dare."

"Regardless," Timaeus hissed through clenched teeth. "Yugi is a guest on this ship, and I will not condone misbehavior from seasoned men!" He abandoned the helm and stomped to the aft's rim and clenched the banisher. The burst of energy was not nearly enough to cool his temper, but enough to calm his thoughts enough to think. He looked above to the runners in the sails then below where in the berth deck the men were obediently propelling his ship north.

One figure stood out among the others. A small figure in an unusual uniform balanced a tray of plates in each hand. Timaeus recognized the costume immediately. He'd had it commissioned himself that very morning.

"Now where is he off too?" Timaeus asked no one, but aroused the King's curiosity.

Dartz strolled over in time to catch Yugi's trademark crown vanished beneath the trap door steps. "Wasn't he assisting your Surgeon?" The King asked, earnestly bewildered.

"He was supposed to be," Timaeus answered just as surprised. He had told Yugi about the lower decks. Why would he travel below decks with a tray of food? Had he not eaten? The mess' only entrances were from the main deck. "Nothing down there but the berth, the cargo hold, the ship's pump and—" A dark thought hardened his words. " "The brigs." Realization crept upon him.

The King looked surprised. "Pardon?"

"Take the helm, your highness," Timaeus ordered, too soft and sudden to be a command.

The King said nothing to the order but asked "What do you think he's doing down there?"

"I won't know until I ask him." Timaeus cleared the aft's descent and followed the spiral of the trap door. "If it is a simple errand, I will have a word with my quartermaster."

"And if it is not?" Dartz had meant the words to lighten the mood, but a shadow crossed over the Trierarch's face when he turned to him.

"Then he will have hell to pay." And he descended the stairs.

X X X

The atmosphere under the ship was far different then Yugi expected. Unlike the open and airy main deck with its cozy cottages, the berth deck was smaller, more condense. The curved walls of thick wood smothered two aisles of identical benches each holding twenty men and attached to a huge oar like a tree scrapped bare. Rows of low-hanging hammocks hung between them. Cannons were chained to its windows. It made Yugi feel claustrophobic and trapped.

His senses were assaulted his from every direction. Armorless, broad-backed soldiers, thick arms and skin slicked and shined with the sweat of labor, propelled the oars in wide circles. They rowed with their backs to the stern, pushing, not pulling. To Yugi's relief, they hadn't noticed him. The only sounds were their masculine grunts and groans and the yawn of the oar's protesting hinges. The stale air reeked from the salty, wet musk of labor, the perfume rot of wet wood and the alcoholic aroma of tar.

Yugi doubled his pursuit and nearly chocked when he reached the bottom of the stairs. Twice as worse as the berth, the cargo hold was suffocatingly hot: the air was thick, stagnant and wet with no ventilation system. Heat and humidity clung to Yugi's skin, even the light smock felt sticky and damp. He coughed, clearing his throat but only inhaled stale, wet air.

He immediately pitied anyone forced to stay down there and understood why Timaeus chose it as the location for the ships prison hold. A few minutes and Yugi would do anything to keep from coming down here again. It made him wonder what crime Timaeus' prisoners had committed to earn such a sentence.

The thought and a whiff of steam reminded him of his duty and Yugi scurried towards the stern where the prison occupied the lowest level of the ship's back. The journey was not an easy one: the Nile's strong waves roughened the walk and the ship's constant rocking and shifting sent him crashing into barrels and crates. Somehow, he'd kept the plates from spilling and exhaled in relief, and set the tray on a barrel.

The sound stirred the prisoners hiding in the shadows. Eyes peered through the criss-cross bars of iron, the squares just thick enough to slide the bowls through the bottom, and drilled into the stern where the wood was thickest. The air stale with only caged trapdoors for air and only small beams of light penetrated the thick shadows. Carefully taking a bowl in each hand, Yugi stepped into the light and immediately wished he hadn't.

"Traitor!" Maatkare threw herself against the bars. Arms stretched fully and hands curled like harpy eagle talons, clawing at nothing. Her shaved mop was matted in dusty clumps, her face smudged, her dark eyes were bright and dilated, and her face wild and dangerous: nothing about her resembled the domineering priestess who'd haunted his childhood.

Yugi jumped and crashed against the opposite cage. The bowl slipped from his hand. Stew splattered the floor. Quickly he masked his bewilderment and shook his head.

"Now look what you've done!" He chastised his sister. "Now you'll all have to share the rest." He groaned the words and slipped the rest of the bowls through the bars with a sweep of his foot.

Maatkare threw it at him with a scream and it crashed. "Don't you dare mock me! You inconsiderate harlot!" Her scream was rough from constant shrieking and bled with disgust and rage.

Behind her, her ladies found their courage and flocked about their mistress wanting to use it.

"Don't lie, boy!" They taunted, chittering like harem girls at court. "We hear the stories. We know the truth."

Yugi rolled his eyes. He slid the bowls into the other cage silently. Their eyes scrutinized him making him shiver. Too late he recognized why they were familiar.

"Well, well," a scratchy rasp, taunted. Yugi recognized the cowardly way he boasted. "The prince has chosen to grace us with his presence." There was no flattery in Siam's retort.

"You'd think an Atlantian general would keep a closer eye on his toys," scoffed one of Siam's younger and just as arrogant apprentices.

Yugi scoffed and chose to ignore them. But they were in their element. Maatkare was still growling. Siam's bulging eyes blazed with a crooked smile like a frog with a juicy beetle in its lips.

"And now he's playing coy!" Mocked one of the priestess cheekily. No longer were they the proud and dignified hem-netjer who faithfully served Amun. No longer were they the respected officials who served the Divine see ends and guarded the ipet-isut. They were just girls and guys. Young and frivolous and spoiled and robbed of their power needed to discredit his to earn it back.

But Yugi wasn't some soft-spoken maid. He rolled his eyes and snorted his disapproval with all the displeasure of a disappointed scribe master.

"Are you really going to sit there and squabble like a group of washer girls?" The retort was bitter and sharp, cutting through their words. The furrowed glare in his eyes and slitted smile on his face where like a slap across the face. A punishment for a child and meant to be just as humiliating. "You're hen-netjer of Amun! Since when do you listen to sailor talk and soldiers gossip and accept it as truth? You call yourselves servants to the Divine? You respect your masters as Per-ah's and God's wives? You think the Per-Ah would trust any of you to be part of his court if he saw you acting like this? If he so much as heard a rumor?" He chided but each word was harsh with mock laughter and they shrank back even Siam's tongue was twisted. "Do you want to continue as hem-netjer under your new Per-ah?" His gaze sharpened and so did his words. "Then _act_ like it!

The words were like a whiplash to the side and they all silenced. Only Maatkare did not shrink away. Rage and bitter betrayal distorted her face. Desperate fingers clung to the bars like a newborn bat to its mother's fur, but she remained silent.

Satisfied, Yugi gathered the looters shards into the tray and turned to leave. He'd tell Rhebekka about the spilt ones when he got back. His fingers grasped the door when a dark chuckle echoed from the furthest, shadows corner.

Then it bellowed. "Strong words for an apostate whore."

Yugi spin on his heels. The tray set down with a clang.

"What was that?" He demanded in a low hiss.

The shadow rose and slithered forward with all the sinister of Apep's water snakes.

"You heard me, _brother_ ," Menkheperre spat the word like it was a soured wine. "Why would you care so much for ideal gossip unless it carries some truth?" Menkheperre said cheekily. Menkheperre who claimed taunts were childish and beneath him.

"What are you implying, Menkheperre?" Yugi asked dryly. His face neutral and his eyes hard.

Menkhperre's smile was a curve slit one that didn't match his iron-controlled face. "You can't hide it, Yugi." He sang the words; the first part, a drawn high note, the second, a long, low syllable. His name a hybrid of a spa and a chime. "Everyone knows."

"Knows _what_?" Yugi demanded stone faced. His fingers twitched, ready to curl. Claws flexed, ready to strike.

"That you sold us Divine Servants to fuck Atlantis' favorite pirate."

A second of silence, inmates waiting with baited breath for his reaction, and then it broke.

They'd expected Yugi to lunge like a wild beast savage with furry. Expected him to protest weakly and gasp in utter humiliation. Perhaps even remain stone faced and stoically repeat his dismissal of gossip as fact while neither denying not confirming the rumor.

Everything but what he _did_ do.

He laughed.

A boisterous laugh hearty with humor and not a single effort made to contain it. He laughed so hard his sides hurt. "Oh is _that_ what you think?" He clenched his sides to keep from shaking. "Funny, but I suppose that theory is better for your pride than admitting your superior brother outwitted you," he joked, calm and matter-of-fact. "He _did_ send a foreign army to rescue me."  
Menkheperre stumbled back like he'd been slapped. Maatkare shrieked. "You wretched—" She threw herself against the bars and her audience retreated with a collective scream.

Yugi didn't flinch. He'd live in fear of that temper as a child. Now her rages scared him like a tiger in a cage.

"That's enough. All of you." It was a command and not a yell. Sudden and low and relaxed as thunder. Yugi knew who it was before he stepped into the light. "You've embarrassed yourselves enough." Timaeus' words were sharp. Stray beams of light cast shadows over his face, illuminating his eyes with a menacing gleam like a predator unsure whether or not it wanted to pounce. Yugi saw their eyes bulge twice as shocked and twice as terrified. And Maatkare and Menkheperre were rarely shocked. He wondered what else could cause such a reaction

Timaeus' firm hand wrapped protectively around Yugi's shoulder, but he was hardly pleased with the rescue. Instead, he leaned into the embrace until Timaeus' arm slid strategically into place. "Did you hear them, Timaeus?" Yugi said and a voice, drawn and sweet. "Calling you a pirate when you came to rescue me?"

Timaeus arched a brow, but didn't protest. Yugi spun and pressed his cheek to Timaeus' midsection, and rolled to face them: his eyes half-lidded and his smile a pleasured slit, victorious. "I'm sorry; some people can just be so rude." He apologized in a slow, sultry purr. His fingers clenched the armor. It clung like a second skin and Yugi found no softness beneath it. He felt the powerful shoulders shift and he shivered.

Suddenly, strong arms were around his waist, pulling him up, and Yugi yelped. He met Timaeus' eyes: one bright as danger and wild as pleasure the other a pale ghost with a predatory slit. He understood Yugi's game, and he wanted to play. "It can't be helped I'm afraid." The words rolled off his tongue in a sultry purr. His thumb and forefinger curling under Yugi's chin, he rasped. "Some people are just rude with their gossip." He leaned closer. Too close and a familiar shiver of anticipation curled in Yugi's spine.

Yugi wasn't ready to relinquish the game, but he needed to regain control. Against all his common sense, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Timaeus' parted ones. It was meant to be quick, a brief display of affection to silence their bullying, but he's forgotten the arms at his waist. He didn't expect their swiftness until they dragged him half across the floor, until his toes dangled and crushed him to Timaeus' chest. His parted Yugi's lips with a practiced tongue and Yugi couldn't stop the moan that followed it. Or the electrifying pulse it sent surging through him with all the ferocity and anticipation of a lioness ready to deliver the killing bite.

He felt the heat in him, searing Yugi's fingers and chest, burning from his lips to his toes. Then it was gone. Timaeus pulled away with a smirk that left Yugi breathless. His single eye smoldering behind a half closed lid and the other just as seductive. "But I'd be a very poor betrothed if I didn't set the rumors right." He leaned in providing the illusion of kissing Yugi's cheek, but instead whispered "Don't play games with me, unless you intend to finish them."

Yugi panted through his glare. It was a warning and he understood the message clear enough. Had it been anyone else, he would've been insulted, but this was Timaeus. He didn't act like others did. He was impossible to predict.

There was a collective gasp behind them he barely heard. With a final smile over his shoulder, he said "No need to worry yourself with that," he said sweetly again, but the undertone promised revenge. "I think they've learned their lesson." He grabbed the tray with a swoop and finally abandoned the brigs with only the clatter of Timaeus' boots following him.

They didn't speak again until they reached the cargo hold, safe from the wall's ears. Yugi spun and glowered. "What the devil was that?"

"I could ask you the same question." The smirk was still there but his eyes were stern. "What were you doing down here?"

"Feeding the 'prisoners'," he paused before the final word. Timaeus stopped surprised.

Yugi shrugged. "Rhebekka needed someone to do it, I volunteered." The answer was simple, matter-of-fact.

He had been wrong. There were _three_ explanations and it disturbed Timaeus how much the truth relieved him. How ready he'd been to expect the worst, but years of hardship has taught him such.

"What?" Yugi said with a tease. "Think I came to plot with my siblings?" Timaeus' face did not change, but it was clear he had. Yugi just laughed. "Didn't we just promise to be honest?"

"Don't tease me," Timaeus warned playfully. "There's nothing stopping me, from carrying you back upstairs like my bride to be."

"You wouldn't dare!" Yugi jumped and shuddered. "Amun, what possessed you to come up with such a…such a…" He couldn't find the right word.

"I only played along to your game, little one," Timaeus purred. "I think it fit."

Yugi grimaced. "That the last thing I need," Yugi grimaced. "Your crew already thinks I've stolen you from their princess, now you've given the hem-netjer the same suspicion?"

Timaeus stopped and spun, his face red. "Oh is _that_ what they're saying?" The words were a dark laugh that curled into a bitter chuckle. "Well, I'll have to speak to them about _that_. Gossip is for girls, _not_ seasoned soldiers."

The words brought Yugi no comfort. "Is it true?" he asked in a whisper.

Timaeus stopped. "Is what true?"

"About you and the princess?" Yugi admitted, his chest suddenly feeling tight.

There was a long silence, and then Timaeus said. "What did Rhebekka tell you?"

Yugi shook his head. "She told me nothing. Only that she'd heard you were close and it wouldn't have surprised her."

"And what do _you_ think?" There was a warning in the tone.

Cautiously, Yugi shrugged. "I don't listen to rumors. I'd rather hear the truth, since it seems to concern me."

"Do you think it does?" Timaeus asked again, but this time he bowed to face Yugi's bent head.

He had no right to ask. He knew it, but that lingering curiosity was there, threatening to erupt, and yet the words wouldn't come to his lips, afraid of the answer. "Do you love her?" He didn't expect an answer to something so personal.

"I did once." Was the easy response. Yugi shot up in surprise. Timaeus smiled, his shoulders relaxed. "It's no secret that I did. I loved her the way one falls for a dear friend. The kind who has known them longest and understands them best. But it was not the love a man has for his wife. At the time, I believed it was, but soon learned it was not. At least for me it wasn't."

"Oh," Yugi said and bowed his head, ashamed how much that relieved him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Timaeus strutted forward and pulled him to his feet. At his smile, Yugi brightened, which in turn made Timaeus' smile wider. "Surely, you know your first love is always the most difficult but it is hardly the last?"

"I wouldn't really know," Yugi chuckled. "I haven't loved since I was a child."

"A child?" That caught Timaeus by surprise. He arched a playful brow. "I can see you being a cute child."

Yugi blushed, about to protest when the boat shook. "What was that?" he asked.

With a gesture to follow Timaeus flew up the steps. Yugi followed nearly blinded by the light of the main deck. The sails shifted in the wind and from the helm, Dartz gave the wheel a sharp turn.

Timaeus grinned. "If my calculations are correct, and they rarely are not," he turned to a bewildered Yugi and grinned. "We shall soon be arriving in Djanet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that this chapter has reached 100 pages on word! Holy smoke I did NOT see that coming! 100 pages and over 100 reviews in only 97 days! Wow! That makes this my most impressive story ever! I'm so proud!
> 
> Hope you all liked the surprises ;) The priests and the kiss ;) not how i expected their first kiss to go but I'm glad it worked!
> 
> Next Time: The Nile Arc has come to a close and the Djanet arc is about to beging: after an interesting three days, The Eye of Timaeus arrives in Djanet and Yugi is reunited with someone he thought he'd never see again.


	15. Returning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nile Arc has come to a close and the Djanet arc is about to beging: after an interesting three days, The Eye of Timaeus arrives in Djanet and Yugi is reunited with someone he thought he'd never see again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot; characters based on historical figures are all fictional representations of themselves and in no way relate or pertain to the actual persons. I DO own the design of the ships.
> 
> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE FEEDBACK! It always makes me smile to know not only are people reading and enjoying the story but they're GETTING IT! I'm happy i've been able to make you all think ;)
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions and go nuts!

_Chapter XV: Returning_

Yugi didn't even try to contain his enthusiasm. They returned to the main deck just as _The Eye_ banked right and slid into the Nile's Tanitic branch. With his first step on the deck, Yugi bolted for the nearest landing and all but lunged over the railing. Exuberant eyes gleamed with a vigorous light: sparkling, bright and amethyst with childish wonder.

The once vast and endless sands and golden hills of Seth's Red Land sloped into the vivid blue lakes and jungles of Horus, wild with color and life: Ta-Mehnt. The anket flood swept over the Delta, swallowing the shores palm roots and whole undergrowth in water creating a perennial swamp. Only small green islands remained in some parts providing refuge for flocks of wintering birds. Wadjet's papyrus were gone from this region and the dark Nile was a rainbow of color with blooming white, red and blue lotus: their golden hearts gleaming to greet the sun.

Yugi dashed to the opposite railing, desperate for a better look at them: the brilliant white and blue flowers glowed like a spray of stars covering the dark waters. Yugi drank in the sight. He scurried across the deck, jumping on the rope ladders, piling on crates and racing the stairs to the foredeck, not even his guardian could keep up with him.

He reached the railing and hopped up for a better view of the upcoming city.

"Djanet," he mused. It jiggled in the distance: its image a shifting mirage against the blue of Lake Manzala. The grand House of Amun and House of Life shimmered like a star, but unlike the claustrophobic walls and perpetual darkness that made him dread Waset's House, Djanet's beckoning light was almost whimsical and so inviting his spirit soared.

His old home. His father's city. Pinedjam I had begun its construction, now Pas continued his work and it thrived under him. Yugi felt giddy and alive and couldn't stop laughing even as his feet started to slip and Timaeus caught him with a shriek.

From their previous brawls, Timaeus knew Yugi possessed gifted speed, but it was a poor comparison to the uncatchable bursts of energy and gazelle-like jumps and darts that Yugi's excitement created. He finally caught him with a quick dive that drained the remaining breath from his body when Yugi's footing slipped. Yugi laughed like a child when he was caught: excited and unable to sit still. Timaeus growled and wanted to scream but the words had no air.

"Thank you," Yugi said with a gracious, dwindling laugh, so sweet Timaeus' natural protective instincts resurfaced. Reluctantly and he found his heart was unable to scold him. Instead, he pinched his forehead and shook his head. This sweet lad was going to be the death of him. He just knew it.

A loud whistle signaled overhead. Timaeus turned to the helm. Dartz gave a curt nod and banked hard to the left. Recognizing the signal, Yugi wiggled out of Timaeus arms forcing the man to drop him and returned to the railing. His eyes doubled with wonderment and delight. "There it is!" he screamed with excitement, and Timaeus strode to join him.

A smile crossed his lips. Djanet gleamed in the flaming light of Atum's descent like a white jewel. Surrounded by a massive, incomplete pylon, a grid-style labyrinth of squat walls and mud-brick houses crowding around a new palace like a mismatched collection of children's blocks. In the heart of the city, the new palace and temple rose like a massive, palatial mountain of smooth, towering trapezoids. Rows of obelisks spires speared the sky in jagged lines. Four-column walled temples and buildings shaped like walled boxes stacked inside of the other boasted a single, secret entrance.

Behind the palace opened to the lake with a sizable harbor basin. Single-mast galleys, some carrying huge cargos of stone, crowed the shores. Rows of sphinxes guarded either side of the canals feeding in waters from the Nile and Lake. With the green delta wild and alive with plants and animals surrounding it and the impenetrable marsh to protect it, Timaeus could easily see why Psusennes chose this place as the new capital, already it was a thriving port city, and clusters of stone and ramps surrounding incomplete buildings proved it was only growing.

He turned to Yugi who watched the scene fascinated and couldn't resist a smile. Not once during this voyage had he seen the lad's eyes so bright, his cheeks so flushed nor his smile so vibrant and rich with life.

"Come," he said with a small squeeze on his shoulder. Yugi turned to him with a bewildered glare Timaeus immediately disliked. "We'll be in the port soon."

Yugi reluctantly left his post and followed him down to the main deck.

Once more the Trierarch, Timaeus barked "All hands to stations!" and began issuing commands. Rudders climbed the rope ladders and loosened the sails, soldiers not below decks, tied down barrels and raised anchors. Over the side of the boat, Yugi saw the oars were being lifted and pulled back into the boat.

"Come with me," Timaeus whispered, taking Yugi's hand then once more ordered the crew to their stations. He followed him to the aft where Dartz relinquished the helm to Timaeus. Up ahead, two Per-a'ah Ramses colossus stood on either side of the Bahr Saft. Their watchful gazed judged the _Eye_ as it flew past. Yugi swore he saw his ancestor nod in approval. Lost in the memorizing sight, Yugi stumbled when Timaeus banked left and road the current to Lake Manzala.

"Careful now," The King warned him as Yugi found his footing.

"Hold fast men!" Timaeus commanded stern and sharp. "This is Kemet not Atlantis. Remember we don't have the luxury of the deep sea." Finally, the ship found the harbor and Yugi spotted three more ships parked just between the temple and the palace, in the same massive size and style as the _Eye of Timaeus_. One had a deep blue hull and its strange sails were black on one side and yellow on the other and all cut in sharp-pointed arches. Its bow was that a fin-necked dragon with a crown of three spikes and a blue jewel on its forehead, and two huge fang tusks protruding from the sides of its jaw. Its small, but sharp wings folded behind its neck.

"The Fang of Critius, her specialty is ambush." Timaeus explained, making note of Yugi's curiosity. "She's impossible to see in the dark and Critius knows how to turn with those sharp sails."

"And that one?" he gestured to the second ship. The second was a deep burgundy color but unlike the other two its hull was thicker and stronger, bulkier with thick armor-liked plates. Its sails red and massive, purely designed to catch the wind and its bow, or rather is ram, was a massive armor-plated dragon the color of blood, spikes jutting from his head and neck, another on its nose and its massive front paws poised straight in front of with deadly claws.

"The Claw of Hermos," Timaeus smirked. "Appropriately named. She's not as fast or maneuverable as the others, but you'll never find a stronger and more durable vassel." Timaeus chuckled. "And I know plenty of fools who underestimated the power of her ram."

"I see," Yugi shuddered, how anyone could underestimate that ship was beyond him. That ram was as frighteningly powerful as it was deadly in strength, it seemed. One final ship, rested in the harbor, hidden behind the others. At first, Yugi only caught glimpses of it but as Timaeus pulled _The Eye_ to port, he could see it now and gasped.

"That grand masterpiece," Dartz caught Yugi as he stumbled, pride radiant in his features. "Belongs to me."

It was probably the biggest and strangest ship Yugi had ever seen. Unlike its wider, bulkier cousins, it boasted a longer, thinner vessel with a much more slender hull of sleek midnight purple with a lighter underbelly, shiny like cobra scales. Slate-blue sails protruded like elongated butterfly wings from the center mast, a series of fin-shaped sails ran down the additional masts like serpent frill. Its bow, a monstrous serpentine neck, fins melting into the sides and sails, mouth opened in a terrifying maw of frighteningly realistic teeth poised and ready to strike: its ice blue eyes alive and striking, a shiny green stone bearing a decagram star around its neck. Its rudder was long and slender and thrashed from side to side giving the whole vessel the appearance of a chilling sea serpent. "And her name?" Yugi gulped on his words.

A curled smile slit the King's face. "The Great Leviathan."

It was a creature notorious in Kemet for its resemblance to Apep, but sacred in Atlantis and a perfect representation of its king. "Appropriately named." Yugi said in a breath.

Timaeus chuckled. "I assure you, she is not as frightening as she first appears. Her speed can't hold a candle to my vessel." Timaeus assured then yelled "Prepare to make port!"

Dartz prickled but said nothing and Yugi laughed. Compared to her bulkier, more sinister counterparts, Yugi agreed _the Eye of Timaeus_ was indeed sleeker, her voyage smoother, and much prettier. She docked with a rough lurch, and Timaeus caught him before he could stumble. Yugi blushed. He'd miss the ship, he realized—and her Trierarch.

"We're here," Timaeus said and Yugi's heart stopped. His eyes grew. He looked to the palace, the temple: the richly inscribed obelisks, the lotus shaped columns and beautifully decorated blocks, and Ramses statues, and the incomplete wall where dark-skinned builders shoved richly decorated stone blocks up sandy ramps. It was the city their father had started when the ancestral home of their ancestor's loss its accessibility. And overseeing it all was a man with a wild mane of bi-colored hair tamed by a winged crown bearing the Eye of Horus at its heart illuminating a strong jaw and a face full of angels and sharp eyes, the deepest shade of blue, almost violet.

Like Yugi's.

Yugi's own eyes filled with tears and his lips quivered, his shoulders slouched and shook. He could wait no longer. His heart was shivering, wild and frightened. His limbs were light and ready to flee. Timaeus sensed his impending escape and scooped him into his arms. Yugi shrieked and struggled begging for freedom but Timaeus held fast and soothed his cries.

The King approached his trembling guest. "Just be patient Ujalah." He mollified. "Remember your brother is Per-a'ah, now. There's a way to these things."

Yugi forced himself to stead, dried his eyes and gave a small nod. Pas was Per-a'ah, and he was no longer a child. There were protocols that had to be met; he'd known that, though he'd wanted to pretend he didn't.

He let Timaeus guide him across the ship.

Down below, the entire ship gathered on the deck. Healed servants and hem-netjer stood at Rhebekka's sides, their wounds healed and their strength restored. The most trusted of men removed the Divine Servants and their supporters from their holdings. None of them were chained but their hands secured by two guards on either side, a grim warning against resistance. Seeing the gathering crowd of onlookers flocking to witness their shame, even Maatkare swallowed her temper. No one departed the ship. Instead, they waited, suave and obedient and waiting. First for their King then for their Trierarch. They visibly frowned when they saw the boy in the Trierarch's arms. The Divine Servants growled in disgust. Yugi only smirked at them from the shelter of Timaeus' cloak.

The rudders lowered the ladders and ropes where dark-skinned dock hands donned only in simple kilts, secured the ship. A crowd had gathered on the banks: vendors and animals and hoards of traders, crowded along the shores, piling their wares and arguing with others in a cacophony of quivering curiosity and excitement. He spotted a few soldiers on the docks, and two intimidating figures donned in Atlantian mantles and under-armor stood stone-faced.

Another group arrived and both the crowd and Atlantian Knights parted. Standing at the head of the group, and flocked on either side by Kemet advisors and priests, and protected by three Atlantis Royal Guard, was Per-a'ah Psusennes I and Great Royal Wife Mutnedjmet.

King Dartz disembarked first. His steps slow and deliberate, his posture straight and unyielding, his face a regal smile that betrayed no emotion. The Trierarch was at his side, never passing him. Rhebekka slowly followed when the previous two has dismounted. Her hair loose and cascading over the bosom of her surgeon gown: she made no effort to contain her excitement. The residents of Waset's House of Life came behind her: servants and hem-netjer alike smiled, relieved to be home, relieved to be free. The army followed their General, the servants the quartermaster. Only the guards securing the traitors remained on deck.

Dartz stropped before the Per-a'ah and stood, regal and holy in a long-white capelet trimmed with blue over lose white pants and tied with an ornamented paneled sash. A simple chain and drop adorning his sky-blue mane, spoke of his sovereignty.

Psusennes I stepped forward, a man in his prime appropriately donning the King's war uniform. Tall and broad-shouldered, in a short, guaffered kilt and armor bearing a Horus-feather design hugged a firm chest; gold bracelets and armbands decorated strong arms. The creases of middle-age lined the mouth of his broad jaw. His cheeks were sunken but in the depths of his blue eyes was the fire of a new King: young and strong and full of optimism, but wise with the maturity that his life was not his own.

The two Kings faced the other: Kemet and Atlantian reflections of the other. Their faces stoic and neutral. Their gold and blue eyes unyielding. Only silence between them. Then a friendly smile graced Psusennes' face and Dartz' sharp eyes softened to a greeting. Rival kings, no longer, but powerful allies.

"Hail, Akheperre Setepenamun, King of _Ta-Mehu_ and now, _Ta-Semhu,_ Son of Ra, Pasebakhaenniut, Per-a'ah Psusennes I of your name. And, you, Great Royal Wife, Lady of Two Lands, Mutnedjmet, I am an honored guest in your presences." Dartz said in a dramatically gracious greeting but respectful with titles and names. With a start Yugi recognized both their throne names and their birth ones. It had been so long since he'd referred to them by anything other than Pas and Mut, that he'd nearly forgotten, but Psusennes was foreign to him.

The Per-a'ah smiled. "Rise my old friend. We are pleased you've managed to find your way back to our fair city, King Dartz, Son of Ironheart and Stronghold of Atlantis." His tone was regal but with an underline of friendship like a secret code only those who knew it could decode. He gave a curt nod of his own and Mut bowed at his side.

"Welcome back to the capital, Your Highness." Mutnedjmet spoke with a pleased smile.

"It is an honor to return, my Lady. I hope my men served you as faithfully as they have me?"

"Your men have been of great assistance to us." Psusennes addressed with a nod to the two armored knights and the trio of men behind him. He scrutinized the company with a quick glance. "I trust your mission was a success?"

With a turn of his chin, Dartz gestured behind him. "As promised, the priests and staff have all been transported safely and you have my word and my honor they received the best of care under our Surgeon," he gestured a hand to Rhebekka how bowed to the waist and kept her head low.

"And _them_?" There was a pause as he said it, his mouth a neutral line, and his eyes blank.

Dartz frowned but quickly recovered. "Per your request, I have had the High Divine Servant and Divine Adoratrice accompany my crew and I to the capital so we may begin the new enactment of your reign upon the two lands." His tone as overly gracious and addressed the gathering crowd, not the Per-a'ah and his wife. "My General," He turned to Timaeus with a proud smile, his words low and veiled, "was very thorough."

Summoned, Timaeus stepped forward, and dropped to one knee in a bow.

"King Dartz spoke fondly of your strength in battle; your humbleness in victory and your honor to those who come under your protection. His words were not misplaced. Nor was my trust," the Per-a'ah praised. "You have my highest praise, General Timaeus, and my humblest thanks."

"You humble me beyond words, Per-a'ah," Timaeus replied humble.

"Your second mission," Psusennes paused. His voice strained. Timaeus recognized the question before he spoke it, "Were you successful?"

Timaeus stood with a compassionate smile. He retracted his cloak and stepped aside, as did Dartz. The secret they kept so carefully hidden revealed.

Mut's voice was a long, drawn in gasp that her slender hands moved to cover. Her large eyes expanded, the beautiful lotus blue of her irises brightening with the shine of forming tears, her graceful figure shook with an overwhelming happiness.

Beside her, Pas stood rigged: his deep eyes widened slightly with a wet shine, his mouth parted in a low sigh of heartbreaking relief and overwhelming joy. His shoulders rigid and his face pinched with barely restrained emotion.

Yugi had stayed silent during the exchange, too stunned, too frightened to move. Like he was about to awake from a dream, alone and unloved in his tiny cell. Standing here on the docks of his childhood home with his siblings standing before him, the potent emotion of pure joy washed over him.

"Yu-Yugi?" Mut couldn't control herself any longer and neither could he. She dove to embrace him and he caught her as she fell. She took him into her arms and collapsed to her knees: tears streaked her pretty face. In the shelter of her arms and his face pressed to her cheek, Yugi let his tears fall silently. Mut rubbed his back in soothing circles, and pressed tender kisses to his forehead and hair. Pas approached them with a calm step, watching. Then he knelt down and stroked the young man's hair.

"Oh habibi, I've missed you." Mut pulled away to kiss his cheeks. Her ebony hair had fallen over his shoulders, and it clung to him even as she pulled away, like shadows enveloping him, unwilling to release their hold. "Can you ever forgive me?" She pleaded, her voice laced with love and desperate for forgiveness.

Mut had always been beautiful, tall and willowy with smooth, sandy skin, a round face and rounder eyes, playful and twinkling like stars, and her hair dramatically long and black but tinted with the blue of Nut's night. But in that moment, Yugi thought she'd aged a decade and her soul was that of an old woman trapped by youth.

Yugi took her hands in his and shook his head, his love hardening to chastising. "There is nothing to forgive, I don't blame you, and I never did. I know how hard you fought for me."

"I should've fought harder," Mut growled and her face contorted with unforgiving anger, but Yugi stroked her cheek and kissed it.

"It's alright, Mut," he whispered careful with the name. "It no longer matters. I've missed you, sister."

Mut smiled and held him tighter. "I've missed you more. We both have." She turned to Pas who nodded, remaining silent but the love in his eyes spoke with volume. Yugi wished only to tell him he understood. Instead, he nodded and smiled. His brother was Per-a'ah and mastered all the authority and responsibility that position commanded. His duty was to Kemet, his worries hers, her troubles his. Mut would always be his wife, Yugi always his brother, they would always be closest to their heart, but in their smiles they assured him: Kemet would always come first. It was a burden, together, they would share.

Timaeus watched the scene with a heart both heavy as well and light. The potent emotion of heartbreaking love washed over him like the warm touch of mother Mut herself. Next to him, Dartz observed the scene with tearful serene while Rhebekka made no effort to conceal his satisfaction that he'd played a small part in their reunion. Timaeus watched him turn to his fellow Dragon Knights with a sharp nod. They bowed in understanding and marched towards his ship. The rest of the army stood joined their comrades, all stood aghast, and Timaeus resisted the urge to smirk. He turned over his shoulder and glanced at their stunned faces, their frightened curiosity.

Psusennes stepped past them and stood before Timaeus with a slight bow. "Thank you, General." It was not the Per-a'ah who spoke, but the man inside him, the man who'd loved Yugi and held him so tenderly that Timaeus suspected that it was more than brotherly love the two shared. "Thank you for returning my youngest brother to me."

There was a collective sound of restrained gasps behind him and the horrible shrill of realization that followed. Timaeus ignored it and bowed. "There is no reason to thank me, Per-a'ah," he began, gracious and humble but Psusennes cut him off sharply.

"Yes, there is." He said with stern eyes. "As Per-a'ah, I can reward you with land, with riches, with any number of gifts to express my thanks, but as a man and a brother," he turned to Yugi, he and Mutdenjet just now standing. "Nothing I can give you will ever be enough."

Stunned to silence, Timaeus, wisely, said nothing and nodded.

Yugi turned to them and frown. "Please don't fuss over me," He told Pas with a smile. "I'm just happy to be home." He assured them all.

He blinked at the guards then gave Timaeus a half-lidded smirk. "General?" he said sweetly and mockingly innocent. "Why do your men all look so surprised? Surely, they knew you were escorting me?"

"Aye, little one, they did," Timaeus matched Yugi's face and turned to his men. They shivered at the spark in his eye: sharp and bright as danger. Every soldier grimaced. Those that turned to the quartermaster were given only a frown and a disapproving shake of her head.

"Then surely they _knew_ I was kin to the Per-a'ah and his Great Royal wife?" Yugi added in the same mocking tone and alerted the listening royals to the joke. It was simple, matter-of-fact like

"My apologies my _Prince_ ," Timaeus said accentuated. His final words dropped like a stone in a well and bit like a whiplash. "I believed my men intelligent enough to understand that for themselves. It seems I was _grossly_ mistaken. One I will _not_ make again."

Not a single soldier's head was not bowed in shame. Yugi giggled triumphantly. Timaeus matched his smile, then frowned when he saw Yugi's gaze harden and his stance become defiant.

Over his shoulder, Timaeus saw that Critias and Hermos had returned and all fell silent. Instinctively, he moved towards Yugi and the Royal Wife, but she was not to be sheltered and instead stood next to her husband. She fixed Timaeus with a glance as she passed him. Dartz stepped aside to let his friends past, and dismissed the two Knights with a glance. They surrendered their prisoners reluctantly and stood by their King. Yugi moved to join them but Timaeus touched his shoulder. Yugi spun to face him but he only shook his head. Reluctantly, Yugi remained still, and watched them stand on either side of the battle field, like two opposing prides of lions on the cusp of brawling: High Divine Servant and Divine Adoratrice on one side, Per-a'ah and Great Royal Wife on the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glossary
> 
> Tanitic branch—one of the nine rivers that branch off the main Nile river and into the Delta. Djanet (Tanis) is located. Today, all but two of the rivers have silted up
> 
> Bahr Saft—a Nile distribution stream to lake Manzela off the Tanatic branch. Presently silted up
> 
> Ta-Mehnt—Lower Egypt, the Nile Delta the "Black Land" in Ancient Egypt
> 
> Ta-Semhu—Upper Egypt, The Desert along the Nile, "Red Land" in Ancient Egypt
> 
> Anket—Winter or the winter season in Ancient Egypt usually marked by the annual flooding of the Nile that also starts the Ancient Egyptian New Year and turns the Delta and any area in the Nile's Flood plain flooded for the better part of two months.
> 
> *Note on Names and Titles:
> 
> Kings had TONS of names and titles back then, especially when addressed in the open so for the sake of historical accuracy I had both Dartz and Psusennes address the other by their titles. For Ancient Egyptian titles bases on my research, firs his the throne name (Psuennes was Akheperre Setepenamun, translates as "Great are the Manifestations of Ra, chosen of Amun." Proceeded by the titles esu-bity, "King of Upper and Lower Egypt"; the epithet neb tawy, "Lord of the Two Lands", referring to valley and delta regions of Egypt, often occurs as well. The Birth names was usually preceded by the title Son of Ra, where as with Dartz I went with the Ancient Greek title of the title, name and lineage. Really wanted to make sure I got that right (phew!)
> 
> A note on Psusennes I age:
> 
> I did a lot of research on this topic to keep it as accurate as possible, but it was IMPOSSIBLE to find his birth date and I wanted to keep his age roughly the same as Dartz's maybe younger since Dartz has a teenage daughter and he's Pinedjam's oldest child. Psusennes I's mummy proves that he was an old man when he died, roughly his late 80s (good for him) and he ruled for nearly fifty years (47-49 to be exact) so that would put his age around mid to late thirties when he took the throne, and since Yugi is 19 and Pinedjam died about 15 years before Psusennes took the thrown (and yes that means Yugi was a small child when his father died) it meant Psusennes was old enough to have a paternal relationship with Yugi but still relatively young in terms of modern times (which worked great for me since all the pictures I found were of him as an old man which was a bit of a turn off). So he's about mid-thirties in this and I would say Dartz is about early 40s himself. Hope that clears that up.
> 
> As always review, reply, comment, critique and have lots of fun! Now is when ALL the fun stuff begins ;)
> 
> Next Time: The Final battle for the fate of Egypt begins. Who will win? And Timaeus makes a very unique request of the new Per-a'ah


	16. Jurisdiction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Final battle for the fate of Egypt begins. Who will win? And Timaeus makes a very unique request of the new Per-a'ah

_Chap_ t _er XVI: Jurisdiction_

The four siblings fixed the other with a hard stare: the differences between them radiant in their every action. Though taller than Yugi, Menkheperre was shorter than his brother, thicker at the chest and middle, but leaner on his arms and thighs whereas Pas had all corded muscles from years of labor. At his full height, he commanded the aura of a Hem-Netjer, expecting obedience and commanding authority simply because he decided it was his. But juxtaposed against the weight of Psusennes' regal presence and commanding stare, he was practically insignificant. Donning the mask of the Per-a'ah, neither cold nor ruthless but unwilling to accept insolence, he looked in every inch the Living Horus, and more intimidating than Menkheperre ever could.

The two women were polar opposites of the other: two faces of a lioness. Though both were petite, barely taller than Yugi who'd always been short, Maatkare was round and buxomly curved. Her hair short and cropped like fur without her wig, her eyes wild and her mouth twisted with a snarl, ready to snap. In her was the lioness' savagery and bloodlust.

Petite and willowy in a guaffered capelet and gown that displayed her delicate curves, Mutnedjmet hardly looked dangerous, but the light in her eyes and curve of her mouth in an unreadable line was fierce and strong. The kohl outlining her eyes in a cat-like pattern sharpened the blue and spoke of unyielding devotion, ferocious protection and even fiercer love. Her posture straight and patient and regal with unchallenged authority, she was the true Queen Lioness: the Per-a'ah was Ruler, Lawmaker and Guardian; she was Mother, Provider and Enforcer.

Their gazes fixated on the other: their shared dark blue eyes hard and their faces blank. Silence echoed between them then Psusennes spoke, his words dropped like a stone in a well. "My Divine Brother and Sister," he greeted hard and without titles. "How good it is to see you both."

Mutnedjmet was at his side, the King's equal. "I'm so pleased to see you've managed to find your way back to our Father's city." Mutnedjmet said honestly. The words lacked the love she'd showed Yugi, but still promised forgiveness. "Oh how we've missed you."

Their guards, both the Kemet Hem-netjer of Waset's sister temple and Dartz's Royal Guard, moved to follow, but Psusennes dismissed them with a wave of his hand. The Hem-netjet bowed their heads low and retreated backwards. The Royal Guard dropped to their knees in a bow then moved behind their own King.

They stood before the Divine Servant and Divine Adoratrice. No guards or finery other than Psusennes' Horus winged crown and Mutnedjmet's vulture headdress. Their foreign allies were no longer at their side. Only the Per-a'ah and the Great Wife stood, unafraid and unyielding.

Maatkare's response was a growl, a lashing ready on her tongue but she swallowed it. Menkheperre smirked, a dark, cruel thing that twisted his lips. "I'd hardly call it a return, when the Per-a'ah had a foreign army take the Royal Temple of our most sacred God hostage." The words were biting and bitter but loud enough that they held a slight echo. "I wonder what Kemet thinks of such acts of tyranny?"

The challenge initiated, Yugi remembered where they were and who was around them. All of Djanet had flocked to see the arrival of the Hem-netjer and see their new Per-a'ah and Royal Wife. It was not loyalty that compelled them, but curiosity: they knew nothing of the new monarch, or what to expect of the new reign. Were they gaining a leader? Or a tyrant?

Pas was still, he did not look unruly distressed by the news. "Tyranny?" He said it as if Menkheperre were making a joke. Only the court knew he wasn't. "You wound me brother, you are guests in my home. Why do you think I asked my most trusted friend and ally to escort you here? The Nile can be lethal so soon after the flood."

"How _kind_ of you," Maatkare spat. "To send an _outsider's army_." It was a derogatory term. An isolated paradise for much of her history, Kemet had never been fond of strangers, but the New Kingdom has opened many eyes. It was simply impossible for her to continue without investing in foreign friends, but many still feared and distrusted foreign relationships.

"Our most loyal friend and trusted ally," Mutnedjmet corrected with a harsh bite.

"You did not!" Maatkare spat with a slighted shriek. "You sent _him_." She spun to glare at the Atlantian guests but it was not Dartz who was the fixation of her hate, or the Atlantian knights flanking his side but their leader, the one Yugi knew only as Timaeus.

"You sent a savage from Greece!" Maatkare spit with a chuckle of sadistic pride when the crowd gasped. "Not even a Greek, a mixed breed!"

One of the Knights, donned in red, lunged forward, but Timaeus stopped him with a wave of his arm. His face did not change. His face stoic, betraying no emotion: his eyes sharp, not revealing a flicker of thought. He didn't wait for the King's permission. Instead, he approached her, never once showing rage or hate, even as her eyes gleamed in triumph and malice.

Timaeus stood before and smiled: a terrible smile that curled into an all-consuming smirk. He bellowed, "Do you think my origins betray my loyalty?" He said rhetoric and brutally sarcastic. "That I have some secret tie to a land that means nothing to me?"

Maatkare's response was a growl, but it had only half its earlier confidence.

"It is true. I come from Antiloa and Greece. I don't deny it; my appearance alone is testament to that." he confessed loud enough for even the crowd to hear.

Yugi wasn't surprised. It explained Timaeus bi-colored hair and his sharp eyes and face; he himself carried traces of his ancestor's Hittie brides. But from what he knew of Greece it was a country of colonies: tribes more than colonies, each with its own laws and customs and gender roles.

"My father was Antolian," Timaeus continued blazing with pride, and gestured an acknowledging hand to himself. "My ancestors are Antolian, and my mother," he paused, spun to the priestess and smirked. "Was a Spartan Lady."

Yugi's eyes widened, that explained it. The flawless grace with the way Timaeus moved and the smoothness in his step when he fought. His mother had praised the Spartan woman, a brutal society, that favors strength and cruelty, and abhorred any type of weakness, but one famed for its freedom and discipline, and above all, its women. Unlike its sister colonies that stressed quiet, and sheltered brides that did little more than decorate the man's bed, Spartan woman had pride: they were intelligent and strong in body as well as mind. They ruled the cities their husbands protected, protected the young raised to be warriors and trained to fight. They were a pride of lions, his mother had said once again quoting her patron goddess: the men fight in wars, protecting their families and patrolling their lands, and the woman hunt and provide food, birth and raise strong children and rule from within. It was as if Sekhment herself had started her own raise of mortals.

In his moment, Timaeus carried all the flawless pride and unchallenged dominance of his mother's people. "And she had no shame in that fact. And neither do I." His tone was simple and matter-of-fact, but in it was a bite that struck the air like the crack of a whip.

"So yes, I am Antolian, and I am Spartan. But," he bowed to the shorter priestess meeting her eyes with a fire so ferocious even Maatkare flinched. 'There is _no_ love in my heart for Greece," his voice was dangerously low and he took another step forward. "My ancestry and body may be of Antolia and Sparta's Greece, but my mind is Atlantian. My heart is Atlantian. My loyalty is Atlantian. And my soul,"

He was dangerously close to her now, and his tone carried on the wind like a stone shattering the water in a well. "Will always be..." There was a pause then he announced "Locrian! And coward you are for assuming otherwise." He spat with a sharp crack like a whip lash.

Then he left her and returned to his king's side.

Mutdjenment stepped forward. "We care only for your and our brothers' safety, _sister_." The word was hard, and no one missed the hard plural when she said brothers.

Maatkare glared at her, her mouth twisted to speak but no sound came out. Mutnedjmet only smiled. The challenger had lost, and the Queen lioness retained her position.

But Menkheperre did not give up. "I'm surprised your _friend_ agreed to such a request." His voice was granite. "Crossing the Great Sea seems quite a long and tedious journey for a simple favor, especially when the King seems fit to bring his Dragon Knights?" His eyes fixated on Dartz, lips curled. Dartz acknowledged him with a blank expression but said nothing.

Menkheperre turned to Psusennes, "Especially when Amun's House has _so_ many beautiful ships to travel by." There was a dark tone to the hem-netjer's voice. Yugi winced, knowing full-well the resources the High Priests of Amun held, including nearly all of Kemet's ships.

He cast a quick look to his brother but Psusennes was too good at disguising his emotions. Then he smiled. "I am well aware of _Ta-Sehmu_ 's resources, brother, but I assured you trading ships are hardly fit for a long journey up the Nile, and I'm afraid too many of the merchants retuned their employment to Djanet."

Menkhperre's smile dropped. "What matter is this?"

"Their services were needed for a national project," Psusennes recited the news like it was common knowledge. "I'm afraid our military vessels and soldiers were simply unskilled in the task."

"And what project is this?" Menkheperre demanded.

Psuennes smiled, his tone did not change. "Why the transferring of _Per-Ramses_ to Djanet, of course." Yugi's ears perked up, connections suddenly forming in his mind. Then he recognized the lotus columns on the temple, the richly decorated obelisks and richly engraved battle scenes and the many statues bearing a face similar not to his father, but that of his mother and his father's first Wife, the daughters of the last man to carry the name Ramses.

Psusennes did not give Menkheperre time to recover from his shock. "It was my hope, when I invited you and the King here that the construction would be complete, but it seems that is not possible." He turned and gestures to the Great House and the adjoining temple, a near replica for the House of Life, where the remains of a great pylon remained unfinished and construction for a central temple was nearly complete. "It was our fathers dream to restore the capital of our ancestor and call Avarice home, but the river decreed it was not to be so," the Ramses branch has silted over long before their father's reign. "Instead, he wished to build a new capital symbolizing a new dynasty, one to symbolize the union of the sons of Ra and Horus with the Servants of Amun and his Great Heavenly Lady. Under my reign, Djanet shall be that capital, and we shall both immortalize the glory of our forefathers and begin a new reign of peace and prosperity." He spoke loud and grand, addressing the crowd as well as the priests, and there was a pleasant mummer that followed. The people cheered, accepting.

"And peace," Psusennes turned to them both, his response was calm and diplomatic, but the message was clear. " _Must_ be established both externally and _internally_ for a kingdom to be strong. Don't you agree, Brother? Sister?"

Menkheperre and Maatkare remained silent. Their lips twisted to retort, but none came. The world around them waited for a response but there was none. They looked to one side, then another, then to the other before finally bowing their heads with defeated sighs.

"Indeed brother." It was Menkheperre who spoke, but the worlds were hollow. "It does."

Yugi fought down a sigh. The balance of power had shifted, no longer divided in an uneven split. The battle was won, the victor clear, but it was with fierce reluctance that the challenger accepted defeat.

Psusennes' face was a heavy frown. "My servants have prepared rooms for you in the Great House," he gestured with his hand. "My guards will see you there." It was both a gesture and a warning. "We shall begin negotiations tomorrow."

"So the King wishes." No one missed Menkhperre's mock, or the twitching of Maatkare's claws. The guards circled them as they walked. Yugi met their eyes when they turned to glare at him. He didn't look away. It was they who broke contact first, and he snorted when they did. Only Timaeus noticed the smile slitting Menkhperre's face.

The crowd watched them leave then slowly they began to disperse. They had their answers and it was disrespectful to linger around royalty.

"Friends," Pas addressed the King and the Knights. "Let us retire to the Great House so we may speak in private."

X X X

They retired to the Audience chamber of the Per-a'ah's apartments where a gold and granite dais housed a series of lion-pawed chairs waiting for them. The guards, priests and advisors were dismissed with a wave of their respected Kings hands. Only the three Dragon Knights, led by Timaeus, were permitted to remain. Mut had not let go of Yugi's hand, even after they entered. They followed Psusennes up the dais where he sat in a gold ornamental chair. Mut sat at his right hand, and Yugi took the smaller seat beside her.

"Have a seat, my friend," Pas gestured to the empty chair at his left hand, already prepared.

"Thank you," Dartz stepped onto the dais and sat back in a relaxed friendly manner. He turned to the knights who dropped to a single knee in a loyal bow. Yugi recognized the other two as the Knights from the harbor dock. The taller of the two, with a lean build and muscled arms, removed his helmet revealing neat blond hair and sharp, striking purple eyes. His black under-armor was black, his cape hung from a spiked blue mantel, and a paneled kilt the palest of silvery-blue tied around his waist. Yugi wondered how he was unaffected by the heat in so many layers. The third, and mid of the three, wore far more armor: gauntlets, boots, mantle curved over his shoulders, and a wild mane of dark brown hair peeking through his helm, all in a rich red that highlighted his pale skin and made his ocher eyes glow with a bright light. They stood on either side of Timaeus, acknowledging him as their leader. The King dismissed the knights with a bow and they rose to stand at his side.

The aura of dignity and decorum no longer needed, the two Kings resigned themselves to a recuperative evening. Yugi expelled a sigh; he hadn't realized he's been holding and immediately felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders. He glanced at Timaeus, who looked regal even as his eyes closed in a relaxed exhale.

There was heaviness in the air and they all could sense it: the battle was won, the fighting had stopped, but the armistice was far from signed.

"You did well, my friend," Dartz praised. "Now they know you have the people's support as well as their army and their navy."

"Yes," Pas agreed his head in his forehead, not ready to use his siblings names just yet. "They will not challenge my becoming Per-a'ah, that is clear, but they will not surrender the south without challenge, nor would I expect them to."

"Pasebakhennuit," Yugi asked in a low voice, as if testing the name. Timaeus raised a brow, not having heard the King called that before. Despite the softness of his voice, Yugi's eyes were determined. "What will become of…them?" he asked with difficulty. He resisted the urge to look away almost afraid of the answer. He'd hated what his brother and sister had done, to him and to Mut when she'd been summoned to Djanet to be Pas' wife. At times he admitted he'd even hated them, but never enough to wish harm upon his brother and sister. What would happen to them when Pas removed them from power?

Pas leaned over and squeezed his hand. A small smile on his face. "Rest easy, young person, I have no desire to see harm befall our brother or our sister, nor do I plan on removing them from Waset's House of Life."

"You do not?" It was Timaeus who spoke. Dartz looked surprised.

Pas frowned. " _We_ shall rule with Djanet as capital, and _they_ will return to Waset, only when their loyalty is ensured. It is not my desire to please them, but we do need the Priests of Amun in Waset. The capital's power cannot reach the South, but even if it is the Priests they answer to, it is _me_ they will call Per-a'ah. Kemet will _not_ fall into civil war."

"Then…what will you do?" Yugi asked suddenly nervous. Timaeus noticed it but willed himself not to move, the dark smile of the priest returned, clear in his mind. Mut took Yugi's hand in a reassuring squeeze.

"First, we will learn their plans." Mut declared confident and decisive. "We will speak to them lastly and privately. Before that, we shall interrogate their guards and speak to their servants," she smiled at Timaeus. "I'm certain your Surgeon's kindness has loosened their tongues, and any information they can provide will be helpful. Once we learn the nature of their plots, we can expose them and in private, show them forgiveness, and only then will we consider negotiations of position and power. And perhaps, in time," she said it as a possibility, hopeful, but understood it may not be a probability. "Perhaps we can learn to trust each other again."

It was Yugi who squeezed her hand this time, and he gave Pas a smile. Their carefree days as children were gone. The closeness of childhood would never be reclaimed, but it could be salvaged.

"Is that wise?" Dartz asked his friend warningly. "Letting Menkheperre become, in a sense, de facto ruler?"

Pas smiled at his friends concern. "He knows Waset and its people, it was never power he wanted but his decisions respected: a reduced position will ensure his loyalty, but give him the freedom to enact change." Pas explained: his voice low and his face grim. "But it is cementing that loyalty that concerns me."

Dartz rose and stood before them. "Then please, allow me and my Knights to remain in your service until the negotiations are complete."

The three royals looked stunned. Yugi's heart pounded. The Atlantians were staying? Then, his gaze turned to Timaeus who smiled. Yugi looked away, his face suffused with color.

Dartz continued. "You have already proven to the Priests you are powerful without Atlantis' aide, but perhaps our continued presence will serve to remind them what they shall risk if they do not concede to peace."

Pas smiled but shook his head. "My friend, I cannot ask that of you." He turned to Yugi and smiled. "You have already done so much."

Dartz frowned and shook his head. "It is for selfish reasons I make this request." His head was bowed. "I wished to inform you in private, but there was an issue when we apprehended the temple."

Timaeus stepped forward, cutting off his King and dropped to one knee, "Please, Your Highness the fault is mine, let me explain." He dropped to one knee before the dais. "As you know, the truth of our mission was the retrieval of your prince, which was kept an utmost secret. I myself was not told until our arrival. During that time, however, the prince fled to Mut's precinct and was followed by two of my men."

Yugi's eyes widened in realization and he gasped. He'd nearly forgotten about that, and now that it had resurfaced, would Timaeus truly take the blame for it?

"Though I arrived in time to stop them, those men attacked and attempted to assault the prince," Timaeus confessed. Mut gasped in horror and for all his skill Pas could not hide the horror on his face. Their faces turned to Yugi who smiled reassuringly. "I'm unharmed, I promise you." He said, quickly. "Those men defied their orders, and I defended myself, Timaeus punished them, and the King himself apologized to me," he chose not to include that Timaeus had killed them in front of him. "I'm alright."

Mut hugged him **, tears in her eyes before turning to Timaeus and the thought of the fate of those men caused her wet eyes to turn grim**. "And those men?"

Timaeus rose, his face dark. "I killed them." His tone was flat. "By disobeying me, by attacking him, they dishonored me, their King, their land and our alliance with you. I could not forgive their sins."

Pas nodded his face dark. "And Mut's precinct?"

Dartz stepped forward. "We were sure to pacify the Goddess before leaving. The men were informed of the issue and its consequences, Timaeus made certain of that." He bowed his head. "My friend, you have my humblest apologies."

"Enough," Yugi assured, and stood before the dais "It wasn't Timaeus or the King's faults. Those men acted on their own, they told me so themselves."

Timaeus placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled. "Be that as may, little one; I told you before, I was their General and Dartz, their King. We are responsible for the actions of our men, and if they disobey it is we who punish them, we who remedy the damage, and we who will ensure such a mistake is never made again. An army is only as strong as its discipline." He smiled then whispered to Yugi, "Though I doubt their pride will ever recover after your little trick."

Yugi smiled and fought down a blush.

Pas smiled and dropped his face to his hand. "It seems I was wrong, General Timaeus," he looked up. "There is _nothing_ I can give you that would express my gratitude for bringing my brother safely back to me." Next to him Mut nodded in agreement.

Timaeus removed his hands from Yugi's shoulders and bowed. "Per-a'ah and Lady, you owe me nothing." Then he rose. "Your youngest brother was a pleasant guest on my ship, and I confess I've grown quite fond of his company."

Yugi giggled at the praise and fought down a blush.

Mut looked at him with a blink then her smile curled like a cat's. "We are both eternally grateful to you, Lord Timaeus," Mutnedjmet wrapped her arms around Yugi's shoulders and turned her smile to him. Yugi's heart raced, horrified. "Come Habibi, it is late and the palace has changed since you were last here. We've prepared your chamber." She flashed Timaeus a cat-like wink over Yugi's shoulder.

Timaeus blinked, befuddled in surprise. Too late, he noticed the blush on Yugi's face and the horrified way he covered it with his hands. Oh heavens, Timaeus resisted the urge to deflate. First, Rhebekka and now Mut? Was there anyone who hadn't misinterpreted their recent friendship?

Again the priest's dark smile invaded his mind. The smile he'd given after glaring at Yugi. He waited until Yugi and the queen had left then turned to the Per-a'ah in discussion with his King. They finished with a nod and turned to the Knights.

"Critias," Dartz turned to the man in blue. "Hermos," he spoke next to the knight in red. "The Per'a'ah and I have discussed and we believe it best you accompany him and the queen in the negotiations." They looked surprised. So did Timaeus.

"My King?" Timaeus asked.

Psusennes frowned. "Do not misunderstand, General," he apologized. "Your skills are unsurpassable, but it is crucial that these negotiations end in peace. I fear that in the presence of their conquer my brother and sister's allies will be…less inclined to speak truthfully."

Timaeus' confusion melted to one of understanding. With a curt nod he said, "I understand, wholeheartedly. However," He approached the dais and dropped to one knee in a respectful bow. "Since I will be unable to assist with negotiations I have but two requests."

Psusennes and Dartz both looked surprised but Psusennes nodded. "You may speak."

"The first, I wish to be informed of any and all information obtained during the proceedings."

The Kings nodded. "It will be done. And the second?"

Timaeus inhaled through his nose. Exhaling his trepidation, his lifted his chin and with determined eyes said "I ask that you leave Young Ujalah under my care, as long as negotiations proceed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the priests getting put in their place, probably not what you were all expecting but to me it fit i mean TECHNICALLY they didn't do anything illegal, and Pas, Mut and Yugi, as angry as they are, still love their siblings, and historically speaking Menkheperre did do well as defacto ruler of the South and Maatkare remained as God's Wife of Amun (more on that later) but it's not over yet ;)
> 
> Another major hint about Timaeus in this one: hope that makes some of the little hints I'd added make more sense ;) I had planned on making Timaues; ancestry Antolian and Spartan from the start (that scene was actually loosely inspired from 300 Rise of an Empire not gonna lie), but it was fun to design. The Antolian Empire or the Hittie Empire or Ancient Persia (modern Day Iran) was a play on why Timaeus and Yugi have similar hair, Yugi is a descendent of Ramses the II who took two hittie princess as wives.
> 
> NOTE ON ANCIENT GREECE: The Geek Empire didn't form until around 800 BCE about 200 years after the events of the story, which also makes more sense that Plato actually meant 900 years ago rather than 9000 because it said it failed to conquer Athens (of course) and Athens wasn't even around yet (plus if Atlantis sank in my original time period I'm thinking, it fits perfectly into my location and time setting) So around this time the Greek city-states were mostly just colonies and tribes, the Spartans of course being one of the oldest, and my personal favorite since unlike the rest of Greece, in Sparta woman were virtually equal, encourages to outside and exercise, be physically strong and mentally sharp, and encourage to speak their minds, and men had to earn their right to them as well as vice-versa, hell if a man wanted to sleep with another woman, he needed permission from the husband, but the woman also needed permission from the wife too, so safe to say Timaeus' mother had a very strong influence on him and his morals: anyone wanna guess why?
> 
> As always review, comment, critique, ask questions, go nuts! i can't wait to see the feedback for this one!
> 
> Next Time: Pas' reaction to Timaeus' request; Yugi and Mut's reunion and an interesting proposal comes to mind.


	17. Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pas' reaction to Timaeus' request; Yugi and Mut's reunion and an interesting proposal comes to mind.

_Chapter XVII: Guardian_

Psusennes face was stone. Then a slim brow rose. "You wish to be my brother's bodyguard?" His tone was skeptical and reluctant.

Timaeus rose, unsurprised by the concern. "I do."

"And what will you do, if I permit you to do so?" Psusennes' brows knitted together his face hard, stern and calculating.

"I will act as his protector, his guide, and acquire whatever information he may know of the hem-netjer." He said honestly. "

"You can't possibly think he knows anything?" Psusennes shot. "Yugi has been a slave to the hem-netjer. Surely you don't think Yugi would ever be part of their plans?"

Timaeus shook his head earnestly. "I have no illusions of his love and loyalty to you, nor his hatred of the hem-netjer's treatment. He's made that more than clear," he paused to let the information sink. "However, I do believe the priests thought to use him in some form. They have held him hostage. They believe him a traitor to their cause and have made no effort to conceal that belief. But he has lived in their walls, he's heard their secrets, he knows they wanted his involvement somehow. He may know nothing severe, but any information he can give would be of value."

"So you want me to let you interrogate him?" Psusennes demanded, harsh.

Timaeus shook his head, voice civil. "I want him to remain under my protection until the negotiations are concluded." Then his protective instincts bled into his voice. "I do not trust the Priests. They have allies in this city, and they are not above using him against you. I will protect him and only I will speak to him of the matter. His trust in me is growing, and he knows I would not betray it, nor do I plan to. You have my King's faith in me, and my honor that no harm will come to him," Then he stood and his eyes met the King's. "And I protect all those under my care with my life."

Psusennes stared at him stone faced. Neither looked away, but Timaeus read the scrutiny in his face. After a long moment of silence, Psusennes closed his eyes and exhaled. When he opened them again, the striking blue looked dark and aged with the reluctant acceptance of a parent deciding his child's future. "You are Dartz's most trusted general, true?"

"That is correct," Timaeus said.

"He tells me you are bound by your honor above all else?" Psusennes 's tone was neutral but laced with a parent's longing.

"I do," Timaeus confirmed.

"You swear on your honor, my brother will not be harmed?"

Timaeus smiled and gave a gracious bow. "You have my word."

X X X

The prettiest rooms of the Royal Apartments were designed like a jewelry box. All but one wall was mud-brick embellished with vivid paintings of emblematic griffins and geometric rosette mazes in bold, beautiful colors. The sleeping quarter was a small alcove on a raised dais with colorful silks decorating the walls and the ceiling above the bed was a mural of heraldic vultures in the image of the goddess, Nekhbet. The headboard was carved in a wildlife scene over a leopard fur blanket.

The adjacent wall was a wide window-like balcony decorated with scenes of wildlife in the marshes: flowers, reeds and animals spiraling into beautiful lotus columns filling the room with light and air. On the far side was a limestone lined washroom with a huge basin tub imbedded in the floor and a dressing alcove where shendyts and decorative jewelry hung on hooks on the walls. A small window provided light and a huge copper mirror hung on the wall in front of a lion-pawed table.

Yugi couldn't remember the last time he'd seen such luxury and he almost felt humbled by the fact they were his. He strolled to the window. Built on a series of ramps, the chamber overlooked the courtyard where a pleasure lake where lotus blossoms glittered like white and blue stars. Palm and fig trees grew tall and grand and bushed of beautiful flowers bloomed. Yugi inhaled the air and tasted the aroma of jasmine and lotus.

Across the central courtyard were his brother's apartments, the Royal's apartment, diagonally across from those were his sister's quarters: the Royal Wife's quarters. It was so much more open the Waset was. He could feel Amun on his face, breathe in Shu's breath and taste Tefnut's moisture on the air. He felt surreal and true and more alive and connected to the world and the Gods then he ever did, confined in the darkness of Waset's House of Life. In a moment, he understood immediately why his father had chosen it for his new capital, both political and religious.

"Do they please you?" Mut asked still standing humbly in the doorway.

"They're beautiful," Yugi smiled and spun to her. "Come sister, you know you don't need my permission to enter."

Mut giggled but did as she was told and took a seat in one of the ebony lioness shaped chairs on either side of a small table where a golden senat board rested. Immediately, Yugi recognized it. "I thought I lost that," he breathed, walking over and taking the opposite seat.

Mut shook her head. "No, I brought it with me,' she said. Yugi looked up, stunned. Mut shook her head. "I found it in my bags, when I arrived. I couldn't let go it when Pas showed it to me." Her hair fell forward shadowing her face. Her hands shook in her lap. "I know you don't blame me, Yugi, but I'm so sorry I couldn't take you with me."

Yugi hugged her without holding back. "I know, Mut," he said. "I know. I knew they wouldn't let me go with you, I never hated them for that, I just…they never told me why."

"They didn't tell me either," she explained wiping away a stray blond bang. "Maat kept saying your place was there, like _hers_ was. I couldn't argue. It was true. You were always at home in the Heavenly Lady's precinct, but I couldn't understand why. I just assumed they wanted to spend time alone with you, but…"

Yugi snorted. "I thought the same, but things didn't change. They knew I couldn't wait to see you, to see Pas. I felt guilty about it, at first, like I was hurting them. But when they forbid me from entering Mut's precinct and start dictating my days, my guilt became anger. They thought if they couldn't earn my love they could force me to."

Mut shook her head, and sternly stroked his hair. "Things may not be what they once were between us now, but I don't believe our brother and sister capable of such treachery. Even in the days I hated them most, I never once thought they were cruel."

Yugi slumped his shoulders and pouted his lips. He hated being scolded like a child. Mut laughed. "But enough talk of sadness. Let us share our stories now?"

They traded stories until Amun descended deep into the Underworld, and lit the many candles to fill the room along with the silvery light of Thoth's eye. Yugi was delighted to learn that Mut and Pas were married officially. He'd seen how close they were as children growing up, it was only natural it would progress into something deeper, and he comforted her when she expressed discomfort about sharing the apartments their two mothers once lived. He told her about his time in the precinct, about the scribe training and Siam's failed bullying, and his longing for Mut's precinct. He told her of Timaeus' blotched rescue, and held her hands when she started shaking at the thought of something so horrid nearly happening to her beloved brother. He told about his journey on _The Eye,_ his friendship with Rhebekka, the King's kindness and his many spats with Timaeus when he'd been named his caretaker. And Mut listened to it all with a curved smile and a twinkle in her eye.

"Sounds like you've grown quite close to the General Timaeus?" she said it with a wink twinkling in her eye. To anyone else it was subtle enough to be missed but Yugi knew her too well.

He rolled his eyes with a snort. "I know what you're thinking, Mut," he said in a dismissive tone. "And I don't think of him that way."

Mut chuckled. Her bright smile hadn't faltered. "Oh now don't play coy, Yugi. You're old enough to be married. Don't tell me you've never felt tempted."

That damn catlike smile, Yugi thought as his sister regarded him with sly eyes. Of course, he had. At the cusp of manhood, his body coursed with urges: but he'd never made love. He wasn't some trembling new-woman: he'd shaken off his childhood shyness long ago. He knew the mechanics of sex and growing up in a culture that favored fertility over virginity, he was hardly puritanical.

"I have," Yugi admitted with a sly smile of his own, but his next words didn't match his tone. "I just haven't found someone yet." Girls had always found him charming, and men weren't oblivious to his beauty, but he didn't want to love for a day. He'd seen the way his father looked at his mother, and his wife. He'd seen the way Pas looked at Mut. _That_ was he wanted in his lover.

Mut looked unconvinced. "What about the Dragon Knight?" she asked teasingly, like a harem girl gossiping to a new arrival. "You can't tell me you don't find _him_ tempting?"

Yugi didn't protest. Instead he looked away, his proud and dismissive pout was still there, but there was a pink tint to his cheek. Timaeus tempting? It was like asking is the desert was hot? He _was_ terribly charming, but not in a roughish manner. Even his blunt and merciless teasing was done chivalrously. He was certainly handsome. The scar of his eyes did nothing to mar it, if anything it made his perfections seem even more flawless: the brightness of his emerald eyes, the sharp curve of his jaw, the spark in his smile, those corded muscles and firmness of his chest. The pink blossoming into full-blown crimson, Yugi shook the thoughts away.

"He's not terrible to look at," Yugi confirmed.

"Absolutely not," Mut agreed matter of fact. "But do you _like_ him?" Mut asked. She'd meant it out of curiosity, but couldn't resist dragging out the syllable in a long, sing-song.

Yugi felt is spine stiffening. _Did_ he like Timaeus? It was a difficult question. Did Yugi even really _know_ him? Timaeus was cold and soulless when he commanded the army and _The Eye¸_ yet before his King he was charming and unquestionably faithful. It was different when he looked at Yugi: his green eye and scar burned like fire, his smile gentlemanly playful and charming, but it wasn't the only face he'd shown him. The man who offered him comfort and kindness on the deck that night had been honest and kind. He'd _listened_ to him, offered him comfort but only when Yugi wishes it. Was that the real Timaeus? Did that mean the Trierarch was just a mask? Or was the seductive, gentleman persona a façade against other courtiers? Or was the man behind them, too a mask? And if he made Timaeus his lover,Yugi wondered with a fluttering chest, would he protect him? Or would that too be a mask.

He was about to answer when Mut teased "I hear his bedding partners are hardly regretful."

Heat bubbled in Yugi's belly. Bedding the fiercest Dragon Knight of Atlantis? Oh _that_ was a seductive thought. One he couldn't deny sounded tempting, but one he quickly shook away. Timaeus was a Knight of Atlantis. His duty was to his King and his country, not a Kemet prince he'd only known three days.

It didn't matter, regardless. Timaeus would no doubt be busy with assisting in negotiations. Ra knew the man was a brilliant strategist, Yugi had no doubt his negotiating skills were just as sharp. Then the Atlantians would sail home, and he and the General would part as friends. Nothing more.

"I'm fond of him," Yugi admitted, impartially.

"That's all?" Mut asked, disappointed. "Too bad," She added with a playful frown. "From his looks, I think he's sweet on you."

Yugi blanched. He spun to face her, aghast and ready to protest. A knock interrupted them, and Pas entered, absent his finery.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked with a loving smile.

"Not at all!" the earlier conversation forgotten, Yugi bolted up and hugged him right around the waist. Pas returned it without hesitation. He'd left the King behind, in private he was the man only his Wife and loved ones knew lived behind the façade.

"I've missed you so much, Yugi," Pas held him like Yugi was a lost child come home.

Yugi returned it with just as much affection. "I missed you too, Pas," he smiled then added. "Or is it Psusennes now?" He said in a butchering of the Greek name.

Pas gave a hearty laugh. "Psusennes is the Greek version of my true name," he explained. "I donned it as a show of good faith between us and our foreign friends, but our people will know me as Pasebakhaenniut."

"Oh," Yugi sighed, but Pas ruffled his hair. Yugi swatted it away and glared at him, hating anything that made him feel like a child.

"Do not worry, Yugi," Pas promised. "To you and Mut, I will always be Pas."

That made Yugi smile. "Your friend Timaeus seems quite fond of you?" He added out of nowhere.

Yugi shot up and Mut laughed. "Not you too, Pas," Yugi buried his face in his hand. Just fond. He realized. That's all.

"A shame he won't be joining us for negotiations." Yugi perked up at that.

"He won't be?" Yugi asked bewildered.

Pas groaned. "We discussed it, and we think the Divine Servant's allies will feel less intimidated and more responsive if their conquerer is not present. I agreed."

Yugi couldn't argue. "Then…what will he be doing?"

Pas was silent then with a reluctant smile said "He volunteered to continue serving as your protector. I agreed."

Yugi plopped in a chair, pondering to the background of Mut's giggling why Fate continually felt the need to cheat him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup I made Yugi a virgin and now he's got a sexy new body guard at his beck and call (QoP smile)
> 
> I had an ENORMOUS debate on whether or not to make Yugi a virgin (it doesn't matter either way to Timaeus-he's confident enough that he doesn't feel the need to flirt, court and compete with his partner's past lovers) BUT rest assured (which i hope i made clear in the fic) he is NOT some meek, little trembling virgin, he's a healthy and active nineteen year old boy and the same perve we loved in the mange and anime. He knows all about sec and he WANTs to do it but he also wants love too (and as many of you have suspect he is not blind to the fact Timaeus is drop=dead gorgeous either)
> 
> I also want to say i LOVE Mut, her personality just spun in this chapter, and looking back she kinde reminds me of Mai, but I love how she came out!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed the reunion too ;)
> 
> Little Historical Note:
> 
> Palace of Djanet is loosely based on Maltkar palace's layout and decoration, since there isn't much detail on what Per-Ramses, which Djanet was modeled after, looked like, but Djanet was built with stone from Pi-Ramses after its Nile stream silted over, so much of the stone is extremely decorative. while this made building much easier, architecturally, no evidence 0f the city exists before Psuennes I but historically it's construction began during Pinedjam's reign so by the time Psuesennes took the throne it would be a thriving capital city, and would become known as Waset of the North.
> 
> And to be frank, I LOVE research but researching how royal Egyptian palaces looked in GENERAL was TERRIBLE. Temples and palaces were like small cities and apparently in some cases temples and palaces were in the same precinct. So like i said, i used Maltkar's Royal palace layour as a model and the decorations for Yugi's room. Since Yugi is technically a prince, he occupies the house meant for the King's children and families diagonally from his father and next to Mut's which are the Royal Wife's quarters which are in turn, Adjacent to the Pharaoh's chambers: this makes easy access for both the King and his Greak Royal Wife and possible lesser wives, but they wives are close enough to their children. Hope that clarifies it a bit.
> 
> As always, read, review, reply, critique comment and post all the erotic theories your x-rated minds can come up with ;)
> 
> Next Time: Yugi gets an intriguing new bodyguard-whether he likes it or not.


	18. Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi gets a new guardian--whether he likes it or not.

_Chapter XVIII: Mornings_

Yugi woke to the smell of lotus blossoms and the loud repetition of his name. He groaned and tried to bury himself deeper in his leopard fur blanket and the soft silks of his headrest, but the echo was persistent.

"Yugi? Are you awake?" Timaeus called from the inner, balancing a tray of food in one hand, like he had done every morning that week since he'd been named Yugi's guardian.

He found him curled up in his bed like a cat in a nest, wall silks drawn to block out the morning. Unwillingly, Yugi rose from the sheets With a groan. His hair was a tasseled mess from sleep and laziness dulled his eyes. Timaeus stood humbly in the doorway, waiting for permission with a humorous smile plastered on his face. "Come," He said fighting down a chuckle. "Time to get up."

"I don't want to," Yugi groaned and plopped back down on the mattress.

With a pleased sigh, Timaeus set the tray down at the foot of the bed and shook his head. "I thought you were an early riser?" he teased.

"Only when I want to be," Yugi challenged back.

With a smile, Timaeus shook his head. "You can't sleep all day."

"I can try," his response was a lazy mumble and tried to hide in his cozy little nest.

"Then at least have breakfast," Timaeus tempted, moving the tray to his lap. With a deep whiff, Yugi inhaled the salty tang of fish and the baked aroma of gozmose, honey-sweetened bread, and the buzz of grape wine and…was that?

"I bought pomegranates," Timaeus bribed, and Yugi could hear the temptation radiating on his face. "I know they're your favorite." He split one open and handed it to him.

A lazy hand moved to grab it but Timaeus pulled it away. "Ah-ah," he stood taking the tray with him and waved his forefinger patronizingly. "You have to get up first."

Yugi rose to his knees and glared at him. "That was cruel."

"No," Timaeus said taking a bite of the fruits, and licking his lips. "Cruel would be if I ate this whole meal without you." He strolled out of the bedchamber and into the main hall.

Yugi pulled himself out of bed and dragged himself to the joint dress room. He replaced his light shenti for a new shendyt and an elaborate belt. Gasping at his horrid reflection in the mirror, he shook his head and tamed his wild hair with a vigorous combing.

He found Timaeus in the sitting room, pouring two goblets of wine. His armor and mantle but the sabatons hugging his ankles were gone, and his under-armor was new, and the color of quicksilver and trimmed on the elbows and sides with green. It clung to him like a second skin and did nothing to hide his corded muscles, but a teal and silver kilt kept his midsection a secret. Yugi shivered. Timaeus looked up and met his gaze: emerald and red-slit pearl, bright and blazing, with a twinkle of mischief.

His gaze smoothly slid from Yugi's face, down his neck and chest, to his legs and feet then rose once more to meet Yugi's eyes. He smiled. "You look lovely," he complimented. "No jewelry?" he asked, noticing Yugi's bare arms and collar.

Yugi tilted his head, determined to hide his blush. "I don't have much finery," he admitted simply. "I'm not very fond of wearing things for decorative purposes."

"Ah," Timaeus nodded, standing by a gold lion-shaped chair he'd yet to sit in. "Then what are you fond of wearing?" he asked curiously.

Not wanting to be a bad host, Yugi took one of the chairs and motioned for the other to sit. He filled his plate with pomegranates and goose, while Timaeus took the fish and lathered a piece of bread with green fig paste.

"In public," he began, "You wear heirlooms and gold, things to show off your status, your history, your pride and ancestry. It's a display of power and strength, nothing more." His tone was flat and he stuffed a handful of pomegranate seeds in his mouth and licked his lips demonically, capturing stray drops of juice. "But in private, in the company of those who you have no need to impress, they're cold and meaningless. They say nothing about you and less about your family's greatness. In private, things you wear should have _real_ value. A meaning. I don't have anything like that."

He waited for ridicule. "That's quite an astute observation for one so young," Timaeus agreed, and Yugi's eyes darted up. "By that logic, we hardly own anything for ourselves." He continued cutting into the fish and taking large bites. "It makes sense that the ones we _do_ own should be memorable in some way."

Yugi gave the tiniest of smiles at the praise.

"Curious," Timaeus said after a sip of wine. "You don't have such items? I assume you'd wear them if you did."

Yugi turned his head. "No, I do not."

Timaeus looked saddened. "Nothing from your mother or your father?"

"Nothing worth keeping," Yugi said, then added. "I have much more personal mementoes." He smirked when Timaeus interest peaked.

"Is your name one such memento?"

Yugi shot up. "Why do you ask?" There was a warning in his tone.

Timaeus exposed his palms, still smiling. "I meant its meaning. U-ja-la," he pronounced every syllable with a roguish husk. "I believe that means to shine, correct?"

"It does," Yugi said flatly, determined to remain unreadable.

"Your parents must've loved you dearly to give you such a meaningful name. Though I am curious how you get your nickname from it. Unless Yugi is your name shortened to the first syllable."

The words were too polite for a retort, and too honest, giving Yugi the opportunity to decline it. Sighing, Yugi relented. "It's a combination actually, when I was a child I was called their habibi Ujalah. It is a combination of those two names, but reversed."

"Ah," Timaeus perked up, understanding immediately. "Habibi being a term of fierce endearment. I was right then."

"No, you weren't," Yugi teased sipping his wine and smirked when Timaeus' expression dropped for a second from shock. "Yes, my nickname _is_ of familial meaning, but now I only allow those who've proven themselves to be a friend the honor of using it."

Timaeus' smile became a wide curl. "Thank you."

Yugi nearly choked on his next sip. "Pardon me?" he demanded unable to fathom why the man looked so smug.

Timaeus' smiled widened. "You just admitted you consider me a friend."

It was a miracle of Yugi's will that he did not blush. He'd forgotten that he _had_ said that. Unwilling to forfeit their game just yet, Yugi spun to face him and said. "Now I have a few questions for you."

Timaeus smiled, and finished his fish. "Ask me anything little one." He split open a pomegranate by twisting it in half and picked out the seeds one by one and popped them into his mouth.

"What does _your_ name mean?" Yugi interrogated.

"My name? Well," he explained humble and boasting at once. "Comes from the Greek word _Timaios_ meaning honor."

Yugi couldn't stop himself from smiling. "How appropriate."

"Indeed, and I do my best to live up to it," Timaeus bragged, humbly. "Any other questions, little one?"

"Just one," he said with too much innocence. "Have I provided you with any new information about my sibling's evil plot to invade Egypt?" he said purely as a jest, but the gravity in his eyes and smirk was a complete replica of the same smirk Timaeus had given him when he mockingly accused him of trying to learn Atlantis' military secrets. _That,_ when he spun to face his charge, surprised Timaeus most.

"I'm not as naïve as I look, Timaeus," Yugi said his name like a scold. "I know your 'kindness' the last few days has been an attempt to win my favor. Bringing me meals, asking about my life, playing off my dismissals, you're not as manipulative as you think." He leaned back in his chair, smirking.

Timaeus blinked his expression priceless then the cat smiled and bowed, recognizing a worthy opponent. "How very observant of you, Yugi," he praised and even had the gall to clap his hands. "But I'm afraid the reason is wrong, I was not trying to be manipulative. I was and have been nothing but honest and earnest in my conversations with you. I've found the best way to learn a person's secrets is to _earn_ them, as you said, through openness and honestly."

Yugi snorted a laugh and shook his head slowly. Honest the man certainly was, but open? That was another story.

"So, have I convinced you that I am part of my siblings evil plot to overthrow Egypt?" his words were mocking and full of sarcasm as he finished his wine.

"No little one I don't believe you are in anyway involved in their plot." Timaeus shook his head, setting the empty pomegranate shell on his plate. "You are no more than an innocent bystander, but it does intrigue me why they'd exhaust all their efforts on you."

"Why don't you ask them yourself?" Yugi shrugged like it was an obvious answer.

"I would, had I not been banned from negotiations," Timaeus grumbled with a twitch in his smile.

Yugi swallowed prematurely. He'd forgotten about that. "I'm sorry," he said then shot up when Timaeus snorted.

"I'm not," he said. "Negotiations bore me to tears." He rose from his seat. "Besides, I wouldn't want to talk either if I was faced with my conqueror."

Yugi set the glass down and pushed his empty plate aside. The servants would get it later. He slipped on a pair of lovely white sandals made of oxen leather, and grabbed a light capelet for his shoulders.

"Where are you off to?" Timaeus asked stacking their used dishes as the boy strode past.

"To explore the town," Yugi said with a shrug. "I've not been in Djanet since I was a child and she has grown much since then."

"Then allow me to accompany you," Timaeus swooped to his side, with a swift bow.

Yugi shook his head, and too quickly said. "I'll be fine, I-"

Timaeus waved his hand, cutting off any protest. "As your Guardian, I insist on it," he said definitely but gently. "I'm afraid I don't trust the people of Djanet enough to ensure your safety will be well kept."

Yugi rolled his eyes and quickened his pace, but Timaeus marched dutifully behind him. "You sound too much like Pas," he mumbled. "I doubt the Divine Servants have allies this far North and if they do, they would not dare strike me in the open."

"I cannot take that risk," Timaeus said sternly. "And neither can your brother, but I'd insist even if they didn't have enemies. I have not been in Djanet long enough to trust your city."

Yugi stopped at that, causing Timaeus to stumble to keep from hitting him. The glare on his face was dismissive and accusing. "These people are _my_ people; you should learn to trust them."

Timaeus bowed his head respectfully but his gaze was no less defiant. "I trust _you_ , little one. But your faith alone is not enough. Trust is a privilege, it cannot be given because they've earned it from someone else, nor can it be expected for the same reason. If they have earned your trust, all the better, but now they must earn mine."

Yugi tried to find a hole in the argument, and growled when he could not. "And what of your people? How could you rule Locri if you do not trust them?"

Timaeus frowned at that, and then smirked. "I, little one, was given Locri, yes, but I had to earn my peoples love and trust, as well as their respect, just as they had to earn mine, and we are a stronger nation because of it."

Yugi did not expect the answer, and had no response for it.

"Come?" Timaeus rose and took the lead. "Do you still wish to explore?" He offered Yugi a hand. This time, however, Yugi did not hesitate. With a grin that promised retribution, he took Timaeus hand: their game continuing, and his opponent growing ever more intriguing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: Timeus and Yugi go into town and find a few unexpected surprises.


	19. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Timaeus and Yugi explore the city of Djanet and encounter a few unexpected surprises.

_Chapter XIX: Dreams_

The city of Djanet seemed to function as a single fortress. The city itself was an enormous, rectangular enclosure housing an entire complex in its perimeter. The massive white stoned pylon was peppered with large gates and the Great Temple at its heart, a grand replica of its southern cousin in Waset on two monstrous mounds with two deep circular walls in its center, an in-progress sanctuary devoted to Amun. Different from its counterpart, however, were the richly decorated and inscribed blocks and columns used to create it. Recycled obelisks and statues of various dates incorporated all the grand splendor of Ramses II. Directly adjacent to the temple's first court between the 1st and 2nd pylons the Royal Temple stood grand and proud: towering obelisks flocked either side of a trapezoidal entrance and open, inner box shape. Connected by the Window of Appearances, the palace was constructed high on elevated platforms accessible by ramps and overlooked every of the city angle. Smaller but imperious sanctuaries to lesser Gods, festival chapels and separate living arrangements dotted the inner southeast enclosure. Opposite it was a stunning sacred lake surrounded by Delta wildlife, and clustered in the Temple's eastern shadow, was the inner city: a grid-style labyrinth of interconnected walls and houses, built small and close together on either side of narrow roads.

It was alive and clustered and looked confusing yet the people navigated it with ease, and Yugi was no exception. Timaeus was not, and he quickly found his senses assaulted from all sides. Lost in the cacophony of complaining animals, squealing children and haggling vendors, the aroma of perfume, fruit and scented oils crashing with the reek of dirt, sweat and heat; the noise, smells and sites crashed against the sheer and utter fascination of it all.

The city itself was constructed simply, and crafted from mud-brick with flat roves that acted as occasional living spaces. Ladders connected to upper decks where smoke fires were burning, and beehive shaped storage units stood, and thatched roofs provided shade. Roads, if any, were narrow and sandy and had small shops boasting jewels and fruits or livestock, were simple wooden boxes shadowed by thatched roofs. Roads disappearing into the maze of villas dotting the outer enclosure and towered high above the others.

It was so much different from Locri.

Yugi watched his wide-eyed guardian's fascination. Gone was the cold and stoic Trierarch, and the devoted Knight who knew only obedience. "Enjoying yourself?" he said slyly and stopped at a booth bragging fresh figs and foreign grapes.

Timaeus spun to him his eye wide and his smile bright with childish wonder. "I am enjoying myself very much, little one." His smirk was nothing like the guardian who teased him mercilessly. It was bright and vibrant with all the exuberant optimism of a youth promising an adventure. "I see why the first king chose it for the dynasty's capital. I've never seen anything like it."

At the mention of his deceased father, Yugi froze, lost in separate realm that lasted only the span of a gasp. He dismissed the vendor with a wave of his hand and spun to Timaeus, uttering quickly, "I thought you saw it when you arrived here with Atlantis?"

Hearing the stutter in the words, Timaeus stopped and turned to him. He blinked for a moment, but Yugi didn't look away. Decidedly, Timaeus smiled and replied "I glanced at it upon our arrival, yes, but I'm afraid I didn't have time to properly explore it before my brigade was sent south. It'd please me greatly to see more of it, if you wouldn't mind?" he asked with a hopeful, smile.

Like a child asking to play outside before doing his chores, Yugi thought. "I suppose, I could show you," he teased, violet eyes half-lidded and sparkling with mischief and took the man's hand and raised his finger, "but," he scolded half-sternly. "You have to promise to stay by my side and not go running after everything pretty. I can't have you getting lost now can I?"

He laughed when Timaeus' brows knitted together. If not for the frustration blazing in his green eye, Yugi would've mistaken it for a pout. "I am seven and twenty, little one," Timaeus growled the fact, emphasizing the age difference between them. "I have the control and the sense to not act so childishly."

Yugi chuckled and jokingly, "Now why should I believe that?"

It was a joke, Timaeus knew, an attempt to bait him into a trap, but the Trierarch knew better, "Because, _Yugi_ ," Timaeus pulled on Yugi's hand, dragging him back against his chest and purred his name in his ear. "If I wasn't, I'd have had you in my arms _long_ ago."

Paralysis washed over him and Yugi felt his entire body freeze in place. _How on Geb's flesh could he say something like that so casually?_ Yugi felt dizzy until a tug on his hand returned him to reality.

"Coming?" Timaeus asked with a smile, so innocent Yugi was stunned by it. Timaeus held out his hand again, like a gentleman inviting his partner to dance, and it surprised him how much that thought delighted him.

"I-" He wanted to speak but he couldn't say the words. The air felt constricted from his lungs. His fingers twitched wanting to take the hand held out to him and all the world it promised, but he hesitated.

"It's alright," Timaeus promised, sensing his hesitation. "I promised to protect you, Nothing more," he said firm and blunt, but honestly added. "Unless you ask me."

Yugi felt his chest stop working, his mind shut down and then his heart fluttered, and willed his body to move. Slowly, the hand reached up—

—and was cut by a loud, dative shriek piercing the market place. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T SELL IT TO ME!" Someone screamed in Aramaic, but it lost its smooth curve and slipped into a harsh, hissing dialect Yugi had never heard of.

"Is that Greek?" Yugi blinked, not recognizing the dialect.

"Close," Timaeus eyes narrowed, all emotion from earlier gone from his face. "It's Locrian." He spun on his heels and gestured Yugi to follow him. He did without question, curiosity drawing him and the rest of the crowd towards the ruckus.

"And there is only one person I know who screams like that when she's angry," Timaeus mumbled a growl and found his suspicions confirmed when he spotted Rhebekka, her golden hair cascading down her back and her physician smock, the coolest outfit she owned, giving her the appearance of a native Kemet.

The vendor she was arguing with was an elder man, skin darkened brown by the fierce sun and held his shaking, calloused hands up in a weak attempt to calm her.

"Rhebekka!" Timaeus snapped, and she spun around dutifully. "What's going on here?"

"I'm trying to place an order" Rhebekka snapped, throwing a thumb over her shoulder. "And he's trying to welsh on our deal."

The gathering crowd turned their eyes to the terrified man, spotlighted under the attention. He spoke in jumbles, Rhebekka clearly didn't understand them, but Yugi did.

"Wait, Rhebekka," Yugi ran ahead. He mollified in Kemetic. The man immediately perked up and gestured to the rows of dried Nile perch, continually bowing as he moved.

Yugi nodded and turned to his friend with a frown. "Rhebekka? He says you ordered his _entire_ stock of Nile perch?"

"That's because I _did_!" She confirmed.

Timaeus arched a brow.

"What?" she demanded, annoyed by the accusation. "I _am_ feeding an army?"

"But all his dried fish?" Yugi asked sympathetically stunned.

"It's a long ride back to Atlantis," Rhebekka explained. "Anything else would spoil. I offered to pay for it all, I have the funds."

Yugi relayed the information to the vendor who continued bowing apologetically and sputter explanations. Yugi sighed. "He says money isn't the problem. He has other orders to make and perch takes time to catch and dry. If he can't make the orders, he'd have to close his shop until he could catch more, and he'd risk his business. Without it he wouldn't be able to feed his family."

"Is there a way to provide him with enough income until that time?" Timaeus turned to Rhebekka who shook her head.

"I have an idea," Yugi assured him, and unclipped the broach from the front of his copelet: an image of Nekbet outlined in gold and outfitted with precious stones. He handed it to the vendor, who gaped stunned. His eyes became wet with joy, and he repeated the same word over and over again to Yugi with a bow.

Timaeus was stunned for a moment then smiled when Yugi returned to him. "That was very generous of you?"

Yugi shrugged his shoulders. "There are more at the palace." He smiled then gasped when Rhebekka glomped him from behind.

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" She squeezed him tight. "I was afraid of causing a scene!"

Timaeus rolled his eyes and pried the girl off his charge, "Don't you have work to do?"

Rhebekka turned to him but didn't let go of Yugi. She summed her Trierarch up with a quick look over: his rigged posture, his tapping foot, the impatience on his face. She grinned. "Even on land you're a Trierarch," she teased. "Fine, fine," She barked for her assistants, and started giving orders. She spun to Yugi with a final happy goodbye.

"Is she always like this?" Yugi asked with a groan.

"Unfortunately," Timaeus sighed, and wiped the sweat from his brow. The morning air was cool but the sun was hot and Timaeus felt a thin layer of sweat forming between his skin and his under-armor. "Shall we continue our tour?" He suggested and smiled when Yugi smirked.

By the time Amun had completed his mid-way journey and become Ra, the pair stopped to rest at a large well built from a ring of stones.

"I must command your navigation skills, little one," Timaeus collapsed on the stone rim. Yugi slouched against his side. The city of Djanet was a massive labyrinth of crowded buildings of various geometric blocks and straight line streets, and Yugi had navigated the catacombs and back allies like the walls were invisible. To Timaeus surprise they all led back to a singular road perpendicular to the Royal Way leading to the Temple and Palace complex, where all life accumulated. Carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, seamstresses and all manners of craftsmen set up fruit stands on wood crates or displayed their beautiful artistic creations on mats in the shade of palm trees.

Timaeus complimented. "I imagine you must've spent quite a lot of time in the cities?"

"Not quite," Yugi confessed and closed his eyes recalling the memory. "Once my studies began the Hem-netjer saw fit to regulate my city visits, but I didn't mind."

"You didn't?" Timaeus asked curiously.

Yugi shook his head. "Honestly, the city bored me, and so did the desert. I preferred the delta: the gardens, the rivers, the lakes: there's more to see and more to explore."

"I can see why," Timaeus purred in agreement, "It certainly appeals to the adventure's spirit."

"Of which you are living proof," Yugi giggled. "I imagine it's very different from the Locri you love to brag about."

"Indeed," Timaeus nodded.

"What's it like?" He spun to Timaeus, legs folded under him and his chin resting in the arch of his folded palms. "Your home? Locri? Atlantis? Tell me everything!"

"Everything?" Timaeus chuckled at his enthusiasm "Curious little beastie, aren't you?"

Yugi's jeweled eyes shined with the childish wonder and curious excitement of a child waiting for a story.

"Well, where do I begin?" He pretended to ponder. Then his deep baritone rose with the high tune of an enthusiastic story teller. "She is a beautiful county; an island far North from here. Her air is not dry nor hot, but cool and moistened by the sea. Her northern portions are mountains that trail all along the East coast, and her south encompasses a great more. Her Western flank borders a wide river that separates her from the colonies of Greece.

"Her capital city is an island that rises out of the sea: houses, libraries, market places, all spiral up a single cobblestone street up a hillside and at the top if the grandest palace you've ever seen. Her architecture is towers and spires and windows of glass, our buildings are curved and oddly shaped and we build them into the mountain herself. Her island is the heart of our country enclosed by three circular moats: each one larger than the last and separated by a land of proportional width where the city continues to grow."

"How do you cross the moats then?" Yugi asked aghast with imaginative wonder.

Timaeus grinned "Bridges, we built bridges between the canals, and each canal is flanked by a wall guarded by gates and towers. And, alongside the bridges and carved into the ring of rocks, are curved tunnels that allow ships to pass." He spoke this part with particular enthusiasm like he was sharing a privileged secret.

Yugi's eyes bulged with stunned mystification and his jaw was open with little gasps, his imagination tried picturing such a place but it sounded too surreal, like a fairy tale or a children's dream. "And Locri?" he asked.

Timaeus grinned like a cat. "Atlantis is an island city and an island county: the King rules the capital from the heart, but the outer rings are divided into the Western, Southern and Eastern cities, each one guarded and ruled by a Dragon Knight. I am the Guardian and Govenor of Locri, the Eastern City. You would love her, Yugi. They call her the Flower of Atlantis: she's built right into the mountains, and her winds are fierce, but she's built right on the shore of the sea's third ring. Her people are kind and strong, and we know how to live with the mountain and wind and the sea. Our streets are paved with stone, our homes are built from wood and on stilts and their shapes are various and elaborate, and many of their roofs are flat as to overlook the city and the shore. My own villa is built at the top of the hill, close to the temple of Our Lady Persephone."

Timaeus stopped when he realized he'd looked away and was beginning to ramble. He chuckled to himself and returned to Yugi, who looked not bewildered by his ramblings but fascinated and mystified.

"It sounds magnificent!" Yugi said dreamily. "I'd love that, to be able to look over the sea every day." He's spoken it in a way as if he was making a wish to heaven. Timaeus understood why when he added "I've never been to the sea. Is it beautiful?"

Timaeus looked stunned. Kemet was isolated on two sides by ocean. But when he saw Yugi's dreamy-eyes gaze and the desperate line of his smile, his curiosity softened and he pondered his next words carefully "She's as blue as the Nile but larger than Lake Manzala. She's so vast, she expands in every direction so all you can see is when she kisses the sky, and they blend so well together you can never tell when one world ends and another begins," he explained with passionate respect, his eyes cast heavenward. "She is a temperamental mistress, she can be peaceful and calm one moment, then savage and ruthless the next and she's always singing with a rhythm of moving waves and blowing wind. She takes you wherever you wish to go, yet you could sail for a hundred years and never see all of her."

"It sounds magnificent," Yugi mumbled, looking at his lap. "I hope I can see it one day."

"I have no doubt you will, little one," Timaeus encourages squeezing his hand. "And what other dreams do you have?"

Yugi froze his eyes wide but focused forward, as if the question surprised him. When he didn't move Timaeus called again "Yugi?"

His hand trembled. Then his shoulders. Then his entire body shook with sobs. Stunned, Timaeus tentatively brushed Yugi's cheek, "It's alright?" he mollified softly. "Don't cry."

Yugi jumped, mortified and hid his tear-streaked face in his hands. Timaeus jumped back, terrified he'd made a mistake, but seeing Yugi's feeble position and the muffled cries he tried desperately to hide, his protective instincts slammed into action and he scooped the boy into his arms.

Yugi gasped in surprise, but Timaeus held him firm, and Yugi found the warm chest and strong arms surprisingly comforting, but Timaeus' fingers trembled, unsure if moving them would distress Yugi further. "Forgive me," he pleaded. "I didn't mean to upset you?"

Regaining his sense, Yugi pulled away and shook his head fiercely. "It wasn't that!" He insisted, mortified by is outburst. "I'm sorry, it's just," he paused. "No one's ever," he bit his lip. "Asked me that before. What _I_ wanted?"

Timaeus gaped, a mixture of stunned shock and horrified rage. "Not even your siblings?"

Yugi blushed. "I was a spoiled child," he admitted. "I expected my freedom like I expected Amun to rise, and I expected everyone in my life to be there, I expected everything to be the same. I had no idea the risks my mother and sisters took for me when my father died. I never realized just how dependent on them I actually was until mother died. Then all of my choices were stolen from me." There was a bitter chuckle in his next words. "The Divine Servant and Divine Adoratrice always hated me for not loving them the way I loved Pas and Mut, they didn't think I knew but I did. They loved my mother, sometimes I think more than they loved their own. I suppose my love was the closest they could come to having hers again. Keeping me isolated, they most likely thought they could _force_ my love. It wouldn't surprise me." He said the words so coldly, like his love was a thing to be bartered and sold, taken and claimed, by all but himself.

It sent a chill of rage up Timaeus spine.

"And to answer your question, I think they wanted an heir. Or rather they wanted _me_ to be their heir." He snorted and added, "Perhaps they thought if I was forced to stay, they could pretend I was there _willingly_."

A wave of guilt stung Timaeus in the chest, but it quickly turned to resolve. He clenched Yugi's hand and said. "I imagine it infuriated them even more that you made no effort to humor that delusion?" He made them sound humorous but no less honest.

Yugi couldn't stop the laugh at that. "You don't think I had my own secret agenda toying with their emotions?" Yugi asked with a devious, but half-hearted smile.

Timaeus shook his head with a closed sigh. "I told you before, Yugi, there is no doubt in my mind you do not have nor had anything to do with their plot, but if it is as you say perhaps it was just petty jealousy. It would be a relief if it was only sibling vengeance and not rebellion they were after?"

"I doubt it," Yugi confessed. "They had far too much pride in their positions to ever leave them. They just wanted their influence respected. Given our childhood they probably thought Pas would be petty enough to deny them that." Yugi shook his head in disgust. "What folly."

"Indeed," Timaeus agreed, and then gently took Yugi's hand again. "But you never answered my question, little one, if and only if you're willing to answer?"

Yugi blinked, bewildered, and the innocence pulled at Timaeus' heartstrings. Oh this beautiful youth truly would be the death of him. "What are _your_ dreams and goals?"

Yugi hesitated. All his life he'd trained with hem-netjer of Mut-Sekhmet, he'd enjoyed the teachings and the traveling but it was his mother's calling and had simply been routine, and then out of respect for her memory. His role as youngest child and to a lesser wife denied him any real position of power in the government. If he truly admitted it, there _were_ things he'd wished to experience: it was his most treasured kept secret.

"I'd like," he admitted, more to himself, then his guardian. "To travel, beyond the Nile and see the worlds beyond Kemet. I'm not sure. I think it hasn't reached me yet that I'm free now, I'm truly free." _I can_ choose. He realized, and it was a surreal though, this ability to decide one's fate.

"You will one day, little one," Timaeus voice was a soft, encouraging purr, rolled and relaxed as thunder and filled with so much pride and promise. "Of that I have no doubt, and," he added with a sudden enthusiasm, "If ever you wish to visit Atlantis, my ship would be happy to have you as a passenger." He winked.

Yugi laughed and thanked him, only vaguely surprised by how easy it was to talk to Timaeus. To lean into his side and pretend the sun wasn't setting. To open his heart and share his secrets. He should've felt embarrassed and exposed. Instead, there was only confidence. With Timaeus there was no ridicule or simple waiting for him to finish ranting, only an earnest ear and encouraging words.

It surprised Timaeus how easily Yugi affected him. Even now, with his eyes closed and face serene and cuddled against his side, Timaeus knew he should've been guarded, yet all he wanted was to remove his armor and relax into the sweet hold. It was refreshing, this new innocent spirit: it was not shy nor was it meek; it was not flashy and flirtatiously confident. It was open and sweet, but there was fight burning like fire in those expressive eyes. It was so different from the ferocious, defensive creature who fancied himself a prisoner on his ship.

Timaeus smiled and closed his eyes, his fingers trailing to twirl in Yugi's soft tresses, surprised by how much that pleased him.

Suddenly Yugi sat up, and took his hand. "Come with me," he said dragging the bewildered Timaeus down the street. "Yugi? Wha-?"

He never got to finish his sentence. Because over his shoulder, Yugi smiled. "I want to show you something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yugi shows Timaeus something wonderful, Yugi learns a few new tricks about Timaeus and "something else' happens.


	20. Lotus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi shows Timaeus something wonderful, Yugi learns a few new things about Timaues and "something else" happens.

_Chapter XX: Lotus_

They left the city in the shadows behind them, and Yugi navigated it and the outside enclosure with the same skill he had when they were inside the city. In the haste, Timaeus caught a glimpse of the milometers measuring the depth of the canals, smaller temples built in dedication to previous kings and minor sanctuaries in the shadow of the great temple.

Yugi's attention was only on one: an elevated dais rising from the northeast corner plain of the great pylon. At first glance, Timaeus mistook it for a hill, but upon arrival he saw it was a square construction with steps making up its four corners. Yugi released a sound of triumphant delight, stopped only once to look at the sky then gently pulled Timaeus towards the stairs.

"We're almost there." he promised, letting go. Without the extra burden he raced up the stairs but Timaeus was not far behind him. His imagination spiraled with possibilities, but none compared to the site he saw when he joined Yugi at the top.

The dais was a spring ringed by recycled stone blocks and flaked with river plants growing between the waters and the shore. The construction alone was beautiful, but what stole his breath and stunned him to silence was even more so. Blooming brilliantly and nearly covering the entire surface of the lake, water lilies opened and fanned, spinning like they were dancing. Against the backdrop of the crystal blue lake, they shimmered like bright white, pink, and blue stars. Yugi kneeling over the side of the spring with the sunlight haloing his dark hair in a crown of gold completed the image.

"Yugi?" he breathed. 'What is this place?"

Yugi smiled dreamily. "This is Mut's sacred lake. Traditionally, only her hem-netjers are allowed here, but I don't think World-Mother will mind. You did save her House."

 _It wasn't her House she wanted me to save_ , Timaeus finally understood. He remembered the ferocity of the wind like a lion's roar, the rage and overwhelming sense of protectiveness that filled him when he saw her child hiding in the shelter of her embodiment. He knew well how fierce a mother's love could be.

"It's almost time," Yugi said, turning his attention to the sky then to Timaeus. "Watch," He pointed to the lake and Timaeus followed his gaze. He watched the lovely blooms, one in particular stood out among the wave of white and soft pink: a rich blue so much deeper than the others that it looked violet in the light. The same color as Yugi's eyes.

As the petals started to dance, Timaeus gasped and watched, enraptured, as they rose in a single curve: its golden heart retreated deeper into the softness of its petals. They rose and spun together, enclosing until they looked like a single tear-drop then slowly they vanished beneath the cool surface of water. He looked up, shocked to find several more tear drop pods and dancing flowers enfolding and sinking beneath the water until the whole surface of the Sacred Lake was clear and smooth like polished stone.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Yugi grinned at the man's stunned face. "They're called Egyptian lotus, they bloom brightest and prettiest during the Anket."

"Magnificent," Timaeus praised in mystified wonder.

"You should see them when they rise," Yugi giggled.

"Will they rise on the morrow?" Timaeus asked, with childish anticipation.

Yugi shook his head. "No, it takes three days for them to sink to the bottom then rise again, and they won't bloom until mid morning. Sad they only bloom half a day."

"You know quite a lot about them?" Timaeus arched an impressed brow.

Yugi gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "My mother would bring me to see them every time they bloomed. They were the most magical thing I'd ever seen. Mother said we were all like lotuses: we're all in darkness reaching for the light." He said more to himself than anyone else.

"It sounds like a precious memory," he purred, rubbing his thumb over Yugi's palm. Then he looked away, his voice distant and vacant. "I wish I had those memories with my own mother." His neutral mask returned but Yugi saw the sadness glittering in his eye, and the twitch of a frown on his face.

Curiously, Yugi perked up. Other than the explanation of his origin, he never spoke of his family, and before that there seemed to be no need. He'd come to Atlantis alone, after all. A dark thought suddenly filled Yugi's mind, and he felt foolish for not understanding. He'd been a small child when his father died after all, but he'd had his mother, then Pas and Mut. He'd never been alone. "I'm sorry," he apologized unsure what else to say.

"It's not important," Timaeus said flatly, to Yugi's surprise. Timaeus reassured him with a small smile. "I've made my peace with it."

Yugi expected the answer, but he still couldn't accept it, and he spun in a half circle and wrapped his arms around Timaeus' shoulders and pressed his forehead to his back.

"Yugi?" Timaeus blinked confused. Yugi said nothing and held him tighter. The gesture was small but the comfort was sweet. Timaeus smiled and laced one of his hands with Yugi's. "Thank you, little one," he said over his shoulder.

When Yugi lifted his head, he looked into deep eyes filled with warmth and trust and reflected in the other. For a moment, all Yugi saw was that soft look. His palm rose to cup Timaeus' cheek and his thumb tracing the tail of his scar. Again he wondered where it came from. Did it happen the day his parents died? Who would do something so evil to a child? Or did it happen much later? And how could something so cruel look so gentle? Timaeus green and pearl eyes were smoldering and fixated on his. They blazed into his, alive and brilliant with such deep emotions. So many that Yugi couldn't read them all.

All Timaeus could see was the sweet child who held him once without even knowing him, who surprised and bewildered him with the simplest gestures and fascinated him with his kind heart and fiery spirit. He spun to face him and he didn't care where they were or who was watching, he leaned down, softly pressed his lips against Yugi's and kissed him, marveling at how soft and sweet the little one's lips felt against his own.

Yugi pushed back encouragingly. His heart felt ready to burst with the thrill of excitement. His fingers entangled in Timaeus' shirt and Timaeus' arm wrapped around Yugi's waist. He licked Yugi's lips, asking permission this time and Yugi relinquished it with a small moan.

It was nothing like their first kiss: it was not harsh or controlling, but relaxed and tender, and the gentleness created a new sensation that was even more intense. Heat spread between them, not in a pooling bit, but a wild flutter like the flapping of wings, that expressed itself as a gasp when they pulled away.

Blazing emerald and shadowed amethyst locked for a moment. Then the afternoon flickered and the sun began to fade.

"We should head back?" Timaeus said softly. Yugi's response was a dreamy nod.

They departed Mut's spring in a comfortable silence: smiles beaming and hands still laced at the fingers. When they returned to the palace, the temple was empty and the sunset shimmered over the Royal garden.

"I didn't think we'd be gone so long." Yugi said sheepishly.

"We stayed at the lake for a few hours," Timaeus said. "I'm sure everyone has retired for the evening."

They arrived at Yugi's room. The curtains were drawn and he rushed to open them. The evening meal was already prepared and waiting on a lion-paws table. "Don't you have to report to your King?"Yugi asked.

Timaeus gave a small shrug. "I will not disturb him. He will tell me tomorrow." He sat in one of the lion-shaped chairs and began pouring them both some wine. He did not ask and Yugi did not offer. "What have they brought this time?" he asked rhetorically examining a thick clay pot and empty bowls. The broth was sizzling and smelled of fresh herbs and baked meat. Vegetables of onions and leeks sat regally on a separate plate. Another held thick cakes of bread piled high between them and for desert: peeled figs lathered in honey and date juice.

Yugi grabbed one of those and devoured it greedily. Juice drizzled from his chin and sticky honey goldened his fingers, and Yugi licked up every drop.

Timaeus grimaced. "How on earth can you eat that?" He shuddered and blew on his sew before sampling meat he assumed was duck judging from the succulence of dark meat.

"You don't fancy sweets?" Yugi asked flabbergasted.

"Not in the slightest," Timaeus said grimacing and surrendered the remaining fig. "I enjoy fruits enough but honey and dates are far too much for me."

Yugi grinned and devoured it, before whipping his hands and dividing the bread between them. "Am I to assume you will be joining me for all my meals now?" Yugi asked, teasingly.

Timaeus grinned "If it pleases you. I've come to enjoy our time together, when you choose to acknowledge my presence."

For a brief moment Yugi wondered if he meant the kiss, but immediately decided against it. "I suppose you're not terrible company, and I imagine you must be terribly bored without the hem-netjer to harass."

Timaeus beamed at the praise, backhanded though it was. "I'm actually more pleased, I do not have to attend those meetings." Timaeus finished his meal and stretched his long legs. "Interrogations bore me to tears, but sadly I have nothing else to do for the rest of this tenday." He complained with mock wow. "At least your company made this one day pass by much more pleasantly."

Yugi snorted. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

"If you wanted it to be?" Timaeus purred with a roguish smile.

Yugi shook his head "You're impossible."

Timaeus chuckled and spotted the senet board on a separate table. "You enjoy games, Yugi?" he asked with curious flirting.

Yugi's eyes darted to the board. "I do," he confirmed with a sly smile. "Very much so."

"Care to play then?" Timaeus challenged.

"Are you sure? Senet is a little complicated for new players?" Yugi warned but he was already setting up the pieces.

"I assure you, little one, I am a quick study." Timaeus said removing his gloves. A tanned hand gathered the sticks and with a roguish smile he tossed them on to the table and they began to play.

Yugi read the lines and deduced the spaces and watched Timaeus move an obvious piece and grinned. It was too unfair, his advantage. He'd been playing since he was a child and already knew a strategy. He took his turn and grinned when the sticks came up four. Already he was past the first obstacle and Timaeus was lacking behind.

"Careful," Yugi warned teasingly. "You're approaching the river."

Timaeus grinned as Yugi took his turn. "How unfortunate for me that I come from a kingdom that knows nothing of crossing rivers." Timaeus teased and watched as Yugi made an obvious mistake, so well masked only a true player would see the error.

"Best be careful, little one," He warned, teasing Yugi as if reading his mind. "It'd be a pity to come so far only to have to start over again." He rolled the sticks: a two. He missed the river by a single space.

Yugi rolled his eyes, and moved his piece two squares. Underplaying his skills or not, he would never make such an obvious mistake. With Timaeus hot on his tail, he turned his focus to the game. "You're not a bad player, I'll admit."

"Why thank you," Timaeus said with gracious gratitude. "But speaking of play, you should leave this room more often and enjoy yourself more."

"I leave plenty," Yugi protested playfully. "You just never see because you're always waiting in the Audience chamber. It's your turn?"

Timaeus rolled without trying. "I like to be kept updated on any and all current events," He said in his defense. "Be it interrogations related to my King or how often my charge is left sleeping until Amun becomes Ra." He laughed when Yugi glared and puffed his cheeks. The effect no more threatening than a frazzled kitten forcibly given a bath.

"My sleeping patterns are hardly your concern," Yugi hissed, again not unlike a kitten in Timaeus opinion, as much of his energy seemed to be spent keeping his pale cheeks pink and not crimson.

"They are when you sleep away half the day," Timaeus said with a patronizing finger and a roguish smirk. "One would think you've taken a lover with how late you sleep."

The sticks dropped from Yugi's fingers. His face blanched and froze and Timaeus' laugher exploded. "Have you no shame!" Yugi leapt up, screaming.

Timaeus didn't flinch. "You frazzle quite easily don't you?" He teased with a coy smile that made Yugi want to scream. He smoothly added, "Don't forget to take your turn."

Yugi blinked then followed his finger to the sticks. With knitted brows and his mouth a thin line, Yugi grabbed his piece, moved it then returned to glaring at him.

"There's no need to be shy, Yugi," Timaeus chuckled gathering the sticks in one hand and let them roll from down his palm. "You are a handsome, confident and witty young man well of age. Surely you've taken lovers, yourself?"

Yugi said nothing and took his turn. His flustered look darkened: his gaze intense and biting then it fell. Timaeus dropped his smile and it set in a bewildered frown. He blinked in confusion and Yugi moved his pieces with a casual shrug.

He blinked. "Have you?" he asked curiously picking up the sticks.

Yugi smiled at his confusion and said. "I am."

Timaeus jaw dropped and he staggered from his chair the sticks flopping to the floor. "W-What?" he chocked.

"Don't look so surprised," Yugi wanted to laugh but Timaeus pitiful stare ruined the effect. "Being a priestess's son requires a lot of travel and as you can imagine being a _guest_ of the hem-netjer didn't leave me much time to socialize." He explained flatly.

Timaeus flopped in his seat with a defeated look. "My apologies." His tone was low and apologetic. "I had not meant to embarrass you, Yugi."

Yugi looked up sharply with a blink of surprise. He's fingers brushed his forehead and he leaned forward, a tormented look of guilt etched stress lines across his brow and jaw. Yugi's brow furrowed with irritation. Did he think him some immature, inexperienced maiden simply because he was chaste?

"Had I'd known I would not have been so forward with you," Timaeus concluded, and Yugi could take no more.

"Stop that!" He stood and slapped his hands on the table. Timaeus leapt up, the board shook but none of the pieces moved. "I am not some naïve, fainting slip. Simply because I've not taken a lover of my own does not mean I am any more innocent than one that has. I could seduce a toad if I wanted to, I've simply decided that rather than enjoy casual flirtations I will wait until I find someone I love like my father and brother did."

Timaeus blinked twice then his lips curled into a smile. "That is certainly admirable," Timaeus praised with a nod. "I must confess, I was about your age when curiosity and loneliness simply got the better of me, but I must say." his face was radiant with mischief and green eyes glittered with delight. "I'm surprised, given your amorous teasing," he picked up the sticks and rolling them on the table. "I did not think a virgin could be so coy?" He winked.

Yugi flushed then challenged. "And what if I am?" He asked in a sultry song then with a leering smirk added. "Would it bother you if I had taken other lovers before having met you?"

Timaeus threw his head back in a hearty laugh, "Don't mistake me for the little village boys you're use to frequenting, Yugi. You may be young and vibrant, but _I_ am in my prime. I am not so immature that all I think about is physical pleasure nor am I insecure in my performance that I feel the need to compete with your previous lovers. I have much more respect than that."

"Then we are in agreement," Yugi smirked.

"We are," Timaeus' grin widened playfully and there was a gleam in his eyes that hinted at naughty secrets. "Though I am curious, little one, if I may be blunt?" His tone was clear and needed no permission, "You are clearly confident in your seductions, yet you seem to blush quite frequently when this is a topic of discussion between us, no matter how indirect." He leaned closer, his voice deepening, lowering to a purr that rolled off his tongue. Yugi fought the shiver of desire chilling his spine. He'd be damned if he shook in this man's presence.

"So," he continued leaning closer, "Perhaps, it is not the act of sex or the desire for that that makes you blush, but me." It wasn't a question and Yugi had no answer. Timaeus was so close Yugi felt his warm breath ghosting his lips, and suddenly he remembered something else ghosting his lips, something softer and more tangible and so dangerously close like fire seducing one with its blazing colorful dance just before you were burned.

He felt Timaeus' fingers grace the back of his hand, then spider over his fingers then curl them into his palm, something secure between them. With a grin he whispered. "It's your turn."

He pulled away leaving Yugi breathless and blinking. He looked at his hand, the senet sticks secured in place.

Yugi swallowed a scream and threw them down in a harsh roll and took his turn. To his surprise his jumped right off the board. "I won?" he gasped, unable to hide his surprise. He glanced up.

"Congratulations," Timaeus purred, unsurprised: two fingers curled under his chin, watching him.

Yugi's eyes narrowed. "You let me win?"

His brows arched but the surprise didn't reach his voice. "I did no such thing. Perhaps it is you who underestimated yourself?"

 _Or underestimated you,_ Yugi thought already resetting the pieces. "This time I want you're finest skill."

"As you wish," Timaeus grinned, taking the sticks in a firm hand and threw them down with practiced hands.

The game continued and Yugi was stunned, his guardian was such a fierce player. His own determination and strategy failed under Timaeus' practiced rolls and skilled moves, and it shocked him even more when Timaeus ended up winning their game.

"You are impressive," Yugi conceded, not bitter but exhilarated. "It's been a while since I've had a challenge."

"Indeed," Timaeus smiled. He glanced at the window then rose from his chair. Only then did Yugi notice the shadows flickering in the candle light.

"It seems we must depart for another night," Timaeus frowned with a chivalrous bow. "Good night, little one." He turned to leave.

He'd almost reached the door when Yugi banished his resolve and called "Timaeus?"

The guardian turned to his charge.

"Shall we break our tie tomorrow? After your meetings and I accompany the Royal Wife to the morning prayer?"

Emerald eyes glittered and he pounced on the suggestion. "An excellent suggestion. I would be delighted."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: As Negotiations heat up, Yugi and Timaeus begin to contemplate their futures--together--and the Hem-netjer's plot is finally revealed!


	21. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As negotiations heat up, Yugi and Timaeus both begin to contemplate their futures-together-and the hem-netjer's true plot is revealed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I took November off to write and get the chapters done and then the holidays and i Totally forgot to post these! UGH! so here are four chaps for all of you ^^ Starting this week updates will return to their regular once a week updates ^^ promise!

_Chapter XXI: Revelation_

Timaeus waited in the First Courtyard, an enclosed pavilion perpendicular to the Royal palace just beyond the "Window of Appearances", waiting for his daily summons. Morning negotiations were due to conclude at any moment and he was eager to learn if the growing days had loosened the Divine Servant and Divine Adoratrice' tongues. With practiced patience he leaned against the stone of an enormous bell-shaped column, grateful for the large shadows it cast over the courtyard. The heat was much stronger than it had been at dawn when the negotiations begin: though the mid-morning air was cool, the sun was hot and Timaeus felt the layer of sweet between his under-armor and his skin. The cool shadows were a welcome relief. He leaned against the enormous column and gazed heavenward. He wonder briefly if holding negotiations in the blistering heat would be enough to loosen their tongues, since any information their servants had given was vague at best and not secretive. It seemed whatever the conspiring siblings had planned not even their servants knew the ironed details: their obedience and loyalty was simply blind and faithful. He'd been right in assuming Yugi was just as naive, even if the little one was clever enough to notice subtle hints.

A smile curled at his lips. His little charge certainly made his own morning routine more enjoyable. He'd awake at dawn with a plate of Yugi's favorite morning treats, even when the honey cake fits made his skin crawl, and a bottle of morning wine; sometimes pomegranates on mornings when Yugi was particularly stubborn about rising. They'd continue their vocal games over senet of which Yugi's desire to best him had birthed a _fierce_ competitive streak that Timaeus found quite flattering. After breakfast, the day was a mystery though lately they'd split for lunch: Yugi would join his sister in the Temple of Amun for daily offerings and service and he would remain where he was now, determined not to miss a single detail. He would then speak with his King and comrade and the Per-a'ah would meet with his wife and brother for the noon meal. Then he and Yugi could reconvene for the afternoon. It was a routine he'd grown quite fond of repeating.

He wondered what it would be like to have such a routine all the time. He closed his eyes and imagined his charge perched eagerly in his room, waiting for Timaeus to bring the evening meal and answer more of his curiosities of which Yugi was an endless void. What would happen to the lad once negotiations were over? Would they part ways never to meet again? Would one end up staying or going in hopes of pursuing their relationship further? The idea has entered his mind many times. Yugi had spoken often of his dreams to travel. Perhaps Psusennes would make Yugi his Ambassador? Lord knew the boy would be good at it with that sharp tongue and astute wit. Or perhaps once things were settled he could invite Yugi to Locri as a guest? He had no doubt Yugi would love that. And what would happen to them? Would their game of cat and mouse continue until it reached it inevitable end? Would it deepen to something more? Would they be married? He could certainly imagine waking up to Yugi in his arms every night and grant him the romantic desire he craved. There were a thousand possibilities.

His musing ended when a strong light left him temporarily blind. Negotiations ended just as Amun had reached its peak and transformed into Ra. He left the pylon just as his men and King left the Royal palace. The Per-a'ah was not with them.

"Well?" Was all he asked.

"There have been no new developments," Dartz said with a grim expression, and then his smile softened. "But we _are_ getting close."

"How do you know?" Timaeus arched a brow.

"They have finally agreed to speak with us. They have not released any details of their activities, but they confessed their concerns with the religious freedom of the real, given past experiences, but they have found their confinements pleasing and Psusennes' willingness to listen to their side has encouraged them. He's confident we may have our answers at tonight's hearings."

"Excellent news," Timaeus agreed with a nod, but the hope didn't quiet reach his face. "Though if I may, it seems rather sudden, don't you agree? The Per-a'ah has made it clear he wants to negotiate peace between them, but they've held their tongues for ten days, now suddenly, they're ready to speak?"

"Time is a fickle mistress," Critias suggested with a shrug in his shoulder. "Perhaps they've grown just as tired as we have."

Timaeus said nothing, but looked thoughtfully at the sand. The Divine Servant's scheming smile haunted his thoughts. The smile he directed, not at them, not at the Per-a'ah, but at Yugi.

"We will know more," Dartz said in a cool tone, only used to silence a discussion. "For now, let us rest and enjoy this evening." It was a command, and Timaeus heard it. The grim knowledge blazing just beyond his King's neutral mask confirmed it.

"Hamos, Critias," Timaeus addressed each man. "Go without us, I wish to speak to His Majesty."

They knew the tone well, and left without further question.

Only when they existed beyond the first pylon did Timaeus lean to his King and whisper, "There is something you're not telling me." It wasn't a question.

Dartz' face did not change. "More something we have noticed," he said with a frown. "Our original plan was to wait a tenday and interrogate the priests' supporters before speaking directly to the Servant and Adoratrice, as to not enter that conversation blind. We spoke of the previous King and they had nothing but complaints. We spoke of the Royal Wife and they scoffed but said nothing, but when we spoke of your charge and why he was not allowed to leave the temple, they all had but one answer." He paused and let the information sink.

Timaeus perked up in an instant.

The King frowned. "Udjalah was their only apprentice. They _all_ said and each time we asked it was always the _same_ answer." He paused again. "Except it clearly is not an answer."

"You think they meant to involve Yugi in some way?" Timaeus said with outspoken defense, before he could swallow his tone

Dartz made no effort to scold him and simply shook his head. "If that was the Priests' plan then their followers had no knowledge of it." He scoffed. "Those answers were practiced and too-well planned. Even during our most," he paused again and coated the next word " _brazen_ conversations they only had that answer. Even when fear and weariness loosened their tongues and they happily answered whatever details about the priests they could spare, the only answer they had concerning Yugi was that he was the priests' only apprentice. Tell me," He turned to Timaeus, his eyes hard and his words suspicious "Has your charge mentioned anything similar?"

Timaeus spoke only with conviction. "He believes his siblings sought to separate him from the Per-a'ah and his wife in hopes of stealing his affections from them. He never once claimed to be an apprentice or if he was, it was not of his own will. He's convinced their actions were purely spite."

"And do you believe this?" Dartz questioned, his suspicion had not faded.

Neither did Timaeus'. "I believe that is what Yugi believes. He's made it clear he's been nothing but a prisoner to their cause. It is not uncommon for priests to adopt heirs and the South has been under semi-independent rule for some time. It would not surprise me if they attempted to force that role upon Yugi against his will." Timaeus paused. "However," he paused again uncertain but his King's eyes demanded answers. "I do believe it is more than jealousy that drove them."

"As do I," Dartz nodded. "Now the question is, do you believe Yugi is in anyway involved?"

Timaeus said nothing, but his brows burrowed to a sharp V and his eyes formed sharp slits. Were he anyone else, it was a look that would've earned the lash, but Dartz never expected anything then less that honesty from his Dragon Knight. "No," he exhausted a sigh of guilt. "Of course you don't."

"Do you think Yugi is involved?" Timaeus challenged.

"Honestly," Dartz said flat, and then his voice softened. "I believe he is an innocent victim in all this, but whether he is aware of his connection or not, if those connections exist it could threaten the monarchy." He turned to Timaeus with blunt determination. "Let us hope to conclude this before it comes to that."

"Agreed," Timaeus nodded. "I will talk to Yugi again and see if there is anything else he remembers." He bowed to the waist and backed away before spinning back towards the Court where Yugi would no doubt be finishing rituals soon.

"Very well," Dartz concluded with a smile then added grimly, "But I warn you, Timaeus, whatever happens, remember that it is _peace_ we came here for. No matter the risk, we _must_ ensure that."

Timaeus stopped. The King said nothing else, but the words followed Timaeus all the way to the Temple.

X X X

Yugi couldn't remember seeing an offering ceremony so lively.

All seven Houses to the Lesser Gods were flocked by musicians banging sistrums and ringing methane beds in cacophonous harmony, artisans and other labors carrying massive stones of virgin sand into the pattern of an outer wall and farmers who tended the estates while the common people gave prayers and brought gifts of bread baskets, bottles of wine and bushels of fruits. At the heart of it all, was the House of Amun, where Mut and her attendants washed, anointed and elaborately dressed Amun, then revealed him to the people. Girls and boys alike spun like lotus in costumes bearing Amun's morning colors. Then one by one, gathered the common people's gifts of bread, fruit and wine, and placed them at the God's feet with respectful nods then dropped in elegant standing bows that reminds Yugi of a curtsy and slipped away.

Mut honored each offering to Amun giving thanks for all from the bounty of the Nile and the entire Delta and Desert's birds and beasts to the hopes of a bountiful harvest in the coming season. All while the common people waited outside the temple entrances, but nonetheless gracious and devoted in their prayers and praise. He'd never seen the common people invited to partake in the Morning offering ceremony, an ancient tradition restricted to the highest of hem-netjer. Traditionally, commoners honored the gods through the household shrines they kept in their homes. Even if no one but the hem-netjer physically entered the House, they graciously handed the hem-netjer their gifts and prayed as the offerings were carried to Amun's feet: this was not a secluded event, but nor was it the wild and lavish annual festivals where all were welcome and celebrated the Gods' glory with banquets of food and drink, and bouts of dancing and music. It was not overpowered by festivity but it carried all the social acceptance of it, as well as the simple and intimate charm of the common people.

It was nothing like the rituals held in the Waset House of Life where Menkheperre and Maatkare's ceremonies were little more than a display of power. Offerings were placed in silent, ritualistic order, Singers' hymns were dry and chanted in harmonious rhythm, and always ended with the Divine Adoratrice and Divine Servant throwing themselves at the feet of Amun screaming and praising in overzealous praise and dramatic speeches summarizing each of the God's divine greatness. And yet Yugi never once felt Amun presence there. Not the way he did when his mother sung lullabies to Mut and prayed in earnest desperation to Sekhment for her family's safety, and not like he did here in the city of Tanis among both its royal servants and the people who made the city great.

It made him wonder what other ceremonies had been held here: had majestic dancers guided Amun and his family across the river to Deir El Bahr for the Beautiful Feast of the Valley? Had mothers, sisters and aunts soothed laboring women and quieted newborns of in the adjacent birth house? Had Shepen Shemets been negotiated and signed and followed by a grand party celebrating the wedded union? Oh Ra, was he really thinking about marriage? And children? As if he could focus on anything lately but the rouge sonorous bass that he woke up to every morning and the glittering gleam of green under dark lashes. Yugi giggled and tangled a hand in his bangs, still damp from the morning's ritual cleaning. The sharing of laughs and secrets over whatever Timaeus brought for breakfast had become their own morning ritual the last few weeks.

Finally, it was Yugi's turn and he glided across the sandstone pavilion. He offered his hands to a young couple who gasped then dropped their basket. Yugi thought nothing of it and spun to lift it before handing it off to a dancing girl who carried it deeper into the Heart of the House where Amun shined in all his glory, and handed it with a bow to Mut. Yugi's next guest was an elderly couple who smiled and surrendered their offering without hesitation. The next scoffed at him silently. Yugi blinked, but said nothing and bowed his head hoping to mollify their impatience and continued the ceremony. He'd continued the circuit several more times, and the commoners responses varying but Yugi ignored any rudeness and continued the ritual until Amun had transformed to Ra and Mut declared and spiritual transference of the offerings into the spirit world. The group cheered, and was followed by the sharing of the offerings, but instead of sharing them singularly among the hem-netjer, Mut had all the assistants including Yugi share them with the people. Yugi watched her gather armfuls of apples and bread and hand them to the poorest of commoners. He himself grabbed a bowl of dates and offered them to a group of children and watched her smile humbly in response to their zealous thanks. Already she'd earned their peoples love and turned a ritual as ancient as Kemet herself into a unifying ritual. She would make a magnificent Royal Wife.

He jumped when a mother snatched her child away from him and scolded him to leave. He shook his head and smiled when a girl took two more, and ran to show her parents. They looked skeptically at him, but Yugi only smiled. There was plenty after all. He didn't notice the shadow slipping through the dispersing crowd but remaining respectfully outside the entrance. He did, however, hear the bass chuckle behind him, and his skin shivered when words rolled off it in a sonorous baritone "Quiet a crowd, don't you agree?"

Yugi spun around. Timaeus leaned against the incomplete stack of stones with a bright smile and brighter eyes.

"Timaeus!" Yugi dropped the empty baskets and ran to embrace him. Timaeus spun to catch him and returned the hug: yearning warmth followed the familiar weight of Yugi in his arms. Mut giggled in the background and Yugi fixed her with a pout, not wanting to leave the embrace just yet.

"Your pardon, Great Lady," Timaeus bowed his head with overdramatic grace. "Would you kindly bestow me the privilege of your charges' company?"

Mut laughed, "I would happily grant your request, Good Sir," she played along, then with a mock pout added. "But I'm afraid it is not I who can grant that request?" she smirked at Yugi with a cat-like grin that turned his cheeks red. "Tell me, Yugi, would you do our guests the honor of offering him your delightful company?" He cocked her head in a birdlike fashion.

Yugi rolled his eyes, grabbed Timaeus hand and pulled him away. "We shall reconvene in the morning, Great Lady."

"Do be late," Mut teased, and Yugi's blush deepened.

Timaeus chuckled then out the corner of his eye caught an elderly man straggling towards the temple then tossed something sparkling that Timaeus found eerily familiar to the floor. Yugi hadn't noticed the action but Timaeus arched a brow at the rude gesture. He stomped away before anyone could call him on it, but the offering was nonetheless retrieved by one of the assistants and brought before Mut who examined it with both hands.

Timaeus couldn't shake the feeling he'd somehow known who that man was.

X X X

They'd decided on the pleasure lake for the evening meal. The evening sun was hot and the trees provided much needed shade. A meal of fish and duck surrounded by vegetable sand barely bread was set on a grass mat with two glasses of wine, they clicked together in cheers.

"So how faired your morning without me little gem?" Timaeus teased with a small sip. "Not too lonely I hope?"

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I was so lost in the business of the day I didn't even notice you were gone?" He laughed at the barely disguised pout settling on the man's face. "I do enjoy the morning offerings," he confessed, setting down his glass and gazing at the Pleasure Lake, brightly painted by Amun's light. "It's been quite a while since I was part of something so intimate."

"I can imagine," Timaeus agreed. "Is it my understanding that the High Priests were not one for social affairs?"

Yugi snorted, then laughed "Oh no, for them, everything done to invoke the Gods was sacred and had to be done correctly to the last detail. They were such boring events; it's no wonder I never felt our Divine One's presence there."

Timaeus cocked his head with a grin. "And I suppose being the King's son and child of Sekhment's priest, those rituals were mandatory things?"

Yugi shrugged. "Not necessarily, inheritance is not the same in Kemet as it is in other countries. It is true that many titles and positions are descendent through elder children, and most often we are chosen for our positions, but it is not mandatory that we accept. I may be the former Per-a'ah's youngest kin, but hardly bestows me as much power as people think it does. To be honest, I did everything I could to avoid those rituals. I was not a hem-netjer, nor did I have any desire to become one." He explained flatly then hooded his eyes, 'Speaking of that, has there been any new information?"

Timaeus paused his meal. "Not yet, but my King is confident the High Priests will speak soon. They sound…eager."

Yugi recognized the tone. "But you do not think so?" Yugi asked but in his tone it wasn't a question.

"I believe it was more than petty jealousy that spurred their actions against you and the Per-a'ah," Timaeus said grimly. "What that is, I know not, but I find it odd that they claimed you as their only apprentice."

Yugi chocked on his drink then swallowed. "They did?" That couldn't be right. He'd received no priestly training, never asked to assist with daily rituals and prophecy. His lessons had always been of history and finance, and scribing ancient laws and customs, hardly what one taught a hem-netjer whose duty was to ensure the universal survival and substance of the Gods and the country's faith. "That's not true. I was never their apprentice."

Timaeus arched a surprised brow. "Then why would their assistants and aides claim such?" The suspicion in his voice was more to himself then directed at his charge, but his mind was spinning and once more the High Priest's cruel smile flooded his memory and the old man at the temple came fresh into his memory, though he was unsure why. "None of this makes sense."

He paused then seized Yugi's shoulders gently. Yugi's spine shivered but unlike before it was not from desire. "Yugi?" Timaeus' voice was gently, but his face was neutral, his lips a hard line and his eyes unreadable and cold. "Are you _certain_ they said nothing to you?"

"I-I'm sure," He stuttered, fearfully. Any other time the accusation would've insulted him. "I mean," he added looking away, but still felt Timaeus cold eyes piercing him. "It's not uncommon for hem-netjer to adopt heirs. It's not illegal for them to marry or have children, except for the Divine Adoratrice, but I'd never…they knew I didn't—I never wanted the 'destiny' they kept predicting for me." He suddenly felt slow, stupid for missing what should've been an obvious answer and his ignorance scared him. "Menkeperre and Mut always hated Pas and Mut, because they were more like parents to me then siblings." But it was only natural that happened, if he really thought of it. He'd been so young when his father died, and Pas, as oldest had taken over his role in the family, and it had been Mut who held him every night after his mother died. He'd never hated Menk or Maat, truly, but they were further away, and they had duties, it seemed selfish to burden them with his feelings when they had such a large responsibility placed on their young shoulders. "And for that my life has been nothing but a burden bearing the weight of their pride and expectations for a pointless cause."

"I don't understand," Timaeus whispered a growl to no one. His fingers tightening around Yugi's shoulders, and he immediately flexed them when he heard Yugi whimper. "What cause? Why would all their servants claim you as their apprentice when they knew full well you were not? Why would they _now_ decide to speak? Why would they go to such lengths to keep you with them if for such a simple reason as love?"

"Because love had nothing to do with it," The boys split apart with a jump and spun to the grave tone. Dartz stood in the buttress of the King's chambers: his face fallen and his eyes unreadable. Hermos and Critias were on either side of him, and unlike their king did nothing to hide the anger in their eyes. Anger, he realized, they directed at Yugi.

"The Divine Servant and Adoratrice confessed their…plans to us," Dartz admitted but his voice was low and defeated. Behind him, Timaeus and Yugi saw the Royal Wife was raging and the Per-a'ah could do little to sooth her, she was nothing like the lively uniter they'd seen earlier that day.

Timaeus turned to his King, he said nothing, but eyes commanded he speak.

Dartz frowned. "They claimed that," Dartz paused again unsure how to speak. "They didn't not believe their elder brother was a suitable contender for the throne and they sought to replace him with a more…compliant candidate."

Timaeus' eyes widened. He barely heard Yugi's gasp, lost in his own shock. It had been Atlantis' original assumption until they'd invaded the temple and found no such puppet.

"Who," Timaeus demanded, and immediately wished he hadn't, because Dartz looked right past him and his eyes fell on Yugi and they were full or remorse. " _You,_ Ujalah. They named you as their puppet master."

It was then Timaeus realized he had recognized the glittering item the rude old man had thrown onto the temple floor, because he'd seen it: it was the brooch Yugi had given him, when he was bartering with Rebecca for his stock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And...Long Live the Queen of Plot Twists (sips wine with a Kuriboh in her lap) No joke, I make that my Halloween costume this year to go with my Black and Gold masquerade mask ;) I warned you all! I warned you something big was gonna happen!
> 
> Glossary of Terms:
> 
> *Little Historical note: during the 22nd dynasty, aka this time period, woman took the helm in religious orders, with the main morning ritual being when they washed, dressed and "fed" the statue of the God through offerings, once a day the Gods would embody their physical representation and devour the offerings by converting them to spiritual energy which would then be fed back into the universe, thus the priest were literally providing the god wish substances to live and thus maintain the order of the universe. It was also usually done only by priests and priestess that ritually cleanses and common people worshiped deities in similar manners at home (after the ceremony the food would them be shared among the priests and family). Temples also functions as actual estates with architectures and artisans, farmers, laborers, etc so temples were huge business and economic centers as well. I doubt people actually brought offerings to the temples and prayers at the smaller ones, like I portrayed here but it seemed like something Mut would so and given how big religion was I think it fit.
> 
> Beautiful Feat of the Valley-a ritual festival dedicated to Amun and his family, held in Shemu Seasa (summer) where Amun crosses the Nile to Deir el Bahri; one of the most important annual festivals
> 
> Shepen Shemet; literally "price for 'marrying" a woman; a ceremony a marriage celebration following the "marriage" of a man and women (in ancient egypt this was when a man and woman set up home together) with the signing of a formal contract between families, using the term hemet, female partner and hi, male partner
> 
> Birth house: since children were extremely important in Egyptian society and infant fitalty was high birth houses were part of most major temples: an enclosed, warm, and womb-like room where woman would squat on birthing bricks and tended by the females of her family and occasionally priestesses, though worship of childbirth goddesses were household affairs and there is little on the subject, death in childbirth was very rare (the Egyptians used a lot of herbs with drug like qualities, primarily opium) and offered assistance so the woman were usually safe and both her ans the child were cleaned and sanitized continiously for a week (ten days) or so to keep evil spirits from entering the baby's soul (names were also given right at birth for this reason) and after the purification rituals mother and child were permitted to leave and join society, so death in childbirth was rare but infant fatality was still pretty high due to the era


	22. Spite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumors have spread. Lies are being treated as fact. and Yugi has been accused of the worst treachery. Timaeus and the Kings are determined to learn the truth...even if the Priests' plot is more treacherous than they ever imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this one was an absolute BITCH! I must've re-edited and rewritten this one thirty times to get it right and get the flow going and most of all to make it make sense, since this is where we learn everything! Phew! Again thank you all SO much for being patient!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, and and all characters and events pertaining to real places and historical figures are purely fictionalized versions of themselves. Characters all belong to Takehashi and Koonami
> 
> Dedication: to my wonderful readers and reviewers for their phenomenal patience and understanding! I love you all!

_Chapter XXII: Spite_

For a whole minute, Yugi could speak, couldn't think, and couldn't breathe.

Neither did Timaeus. His mind scrambled for answers, or some other scenario that would possibly make sense of the situation. No ideas came.

The darker part of him raged with betrayal, shamed that he'd been deceived by a desert flower with pretty eyes. His logical mind reminded him of all the facts and to consider all outcomes. Another part of him, a smaller part with the loudest voice, remembered their senat games and evenings when they'd watch lotus bloom. He listened to all of them and with neutral conviction, turned to his paralyzed charge. In that brief moment where their eyes met, Timaeus immediately perceived from the horror on his face that they were equally aghast and offended as each other. His rage softened, his logic scolded him and the small piece could not have been louder in its pride. Yugi was in no way privy to this scheme.

"I see," Timaeus said flatly, and the coldness was like a whip across Yugi's side. Then his hand brushed Yugi's chest when he moved in front of him.

"What _exactly_ did they say?" Timaeus' tone was flat. _Oh Mut please no, did he_ —? Yugi risked a glance. Timaeus' face was chiseled granite and Yugi's hope died. Gone was the spunky courtier who challenged him with flirtations and senet games, and the man whose soft heart he'd seen in small glimpses. The Trierarch had returned. And he was not pleased.

"They claimed," said the King with an expression Yugi couldn't read and Timaeus knew well. "That their reasons are quite simple. They feared their brother would be an unjust ruler like his predecessor, believed he would claim authority over their father's House and cease Waset's profits for his own. Fears, they claimed, were confirmed when he usurped the throne of Amun with his only claim being he has the blood of Ramses' daughter."

It made sense, Yugi realized. His father had married into the 18th Dynasty when he was still Leader of Amun's hem-netjer. When he became Per-a'ah the hope was that the union would eventually unite the two lands through their children and keep peace between the two nations even though he ruled the desert independently from it.

"A claim," Dartz continued "They say with muted by the fact that he is not the only child of Ramses descendants."

His gaze fell on Yugi. A question formed on Yugi's lips then died in dreadful realization. He shook his head, silent in his horror.

"They claim Isetemkheb was also a daughter of Ramses XI and that you are his heir not only through a much loved wife of the previous king, but a strong and beloved priestess of Sekhmet whose cult also has ties to the Capitol. As such, they believe you are chosen by Divine Rite as well as lineage."

"That's not true," Yugi protested in a weak voice and shook his head, panicked. "Yes, I'm Per-ah Pinedjem's son and my mother's was a hem-netjer for Sekhmet but I'm his youngest child and by his second wife, not his Royal one. I have no ties to that throne. That destiny was never mine to inherit." He protested, but the denial was for himself. Pas had always been the oldest, always shared their father's dream of reuniting the Desert with the Delta. His marriage to his wife was meant to symbolize that unity and his children were the heirs to both houses. Pas knew that, he accept it, and Yugi had always longed for that day. "Pas was always meant to be King."

"Perhaps," was all Dartz said. His face did not change. "But she _was_ still a daughter of Ramses XI. She was beloved by both her King and all of Kemet. _You_ are still her son. You are still a descendent of the 18th dynasty. You may be the youngest son, but you are also the only one left to act as heir if your brother were to, in any form, is unable to." The words were cold and flat.

Yugi tried to argue but found he could not. Surely it wasn't true, he had so many siblings, and he couldn't be the only heir if Pas had no sons. He tried to categorize them all in his head: Pas was eldest, Mas and Djed were dead, Menkeperre was Divine Servant, Maatkare and Mut were Royal Wife and Divine Adoratrice. His other sisters, Henuttawy and Nuanally were Singers of Amun at Waset—and girls, he realized with dread. He'd never categorized his family before, but when Mas and Djed death left Menkeperre Divine Servant, there truly _were_ only two candidates for the Son of Ra position.

" _And_ ," he added with a harsh undertone. "You are beloved by the Per-a'ah and his Royal Wife. So much that they believed he would never challenge you for the throne and surrender immediately since a war, if he won, would mean your execution."

At the word Yugi's heart stopped and he felt Timaeus grip on him tighten. His eyes dropped to floor, his face a mask of betrayal and shock.

"You would be their puppet and they would rule through you. Whether you were directly involved or not. You _are_ part of their plot." Dartz face was neutral but his eyes were sympathetic. Somehow it made it all worse.

"I won't believe it." Yugi shot up at Mut's rage. The King's Royal Wife stormed in, anger etched into every curve of her lovely face. "I won't believe it until I hear it from their mouths, and even then I will not be folly to their lies!" She hissed in conviction.

"I agree," Timaeus said with a harsh, sarcastic laugh. "Is this their strategy then? They know they've been beaten so they've chosen a scapegoat?"

"They don't claim he's a scapegoat," said Hermos in a rough voice. "They claim he's a conspirator."

"The priests can claim whatever folly they wish it does not make it true," Timaeus said with biting force.

"No," Critias snapped and rose to his full intimidating height. "They claim he's their leader."

Timaeus did not flinch. "And we would be fools to believe such without evidence."

Critias eyes hardened. His gaze fell on Yugi who flinched under it. "Perhaps you'd feel differently if you were not infatuated with the accused."

This time Timaeus did flinch: his brows furrowed, his hands curled into fists, and his teeth clenched in an angry growl

"Enough." Dartz silenced with a cold snap. The knights obeyed, but not without reluctance. The King turned to the Per-a'ah, their gazes neutral masks of delicate uncertainty. "My friend," Dartz began. "May we speak in private?"

Pas considered the request. "I'm going as well," Yugi declared emerging from the shelter of Timaeus' cloak. Pas and Dartz blinked.

"With respect, Prince Ujalah," Dartz began, "Given the circumstances your presence may be a conflict of interest?"

"This is my life they tried to play with," Yugi demanded fiercely. "I have just as much right to know their plans as anyone else. You said so yourself, unwittingly or not, I am involved, and I want to know how much. I need to know."

Timaeus smiled. "Then I insist I accompany you." Yugi spun around and Dartz shot up. Even his fellow knights gasped when he stepped forward. "I am still your guardian. Your safety is my primary concern. Whatever they have to tell you, I will listen." His tone held no room for argument, and Yugi smiled.

"Then you must speak to me as well," Mut insisted, her lioness eyes hard and fierce. "I am the Queen of this land, and I am their sister. This fight is just as much mine as it is my husband's."

Pas looked at his wife, her eyes hard; his brother, desperate and finally Timaeus, whose hard eyes and chiseled frown and the way his hand never left Yugi's shoulder, spoke of his fierce protection. He turned to Dartz.

"I don't believe private conversations are possible, my friend," he said with a small frown. "What do you suspect?"

Dartz turned to his men, then the Queen and once more to the Per-a'ah. "I don't believe they ever had any intention of replacing you as ruler, nor did they intend to make your youngest sibling their puppet."

The Knights did nothing to contain their surprise. Mut's anger dropped. Yugi exhaled sharply, and leaned into Timaeus side. It was all he could do to keep from collapsing.

"Neither do I," Pas agreed, his face the same chiseled granite as Timaeus'. "My brother covets the freedom to rule, not the power to do so, he's ambitious but he's not reckless nor is he stupid. He knows history does not look kindly on a brother killing a brother. More so, whatever hatred he feels for me, he would _never_ put Yugi's life in jeopardy."

"But he wants us to _believe_ such?" Mut interrupted, skeptical. "Why claim that as their objective when they know well it constitutes high treason?"

"And it would've failed regardless since if not because of the King than because of their chosen's reluctance." Dartz said flatly. He acknowledged Yugi with a nod. "So why indeed?"

"I don't know." The Per-a'ah spun on his heels and thundered into the Great House. "But I intend to find out."

"Pas?" Mut called after him, but he didn't answer. Yugi regained his senses and burst after him, Timaeus not far behind. The King and Royal Wife hurried after them and the Knights followed.

"Pas?" Yugi called in a gentle, pleading voice. When he stopped, Yugi recognized the audience room. The doors opened with a loud boom like a small tremor. The thrones had been cleared away and replaced by comfortable chairs around the dais.

"Menk!" Pas' said in a roar of thunder.

Menkheperre sat like a spoiled cat on a simple wooden chain in the shadow of the throne with a relaxed smile. Maatkare occupied the pillow at his side. "Funny," he chuckled. "I did not think you still knew that name."

"Enough of your games!" Pas roared his words dangerously low and lost all diplomacy. "You were always many things Menk, but you were never cruel, never blinded by greed. You never cared for power or prestige, you never wanted father's throne, so why would you confess to such a lie, knowing the consequences. Why would you deliberately involve Yugi, when you know full well he would never do harm to any of us, not even to you and Maat. So why?"

Menkhperre's eyes narrowed. "I don't have to explain myself to you." He stood. "You may be Per-a'ah but I am the Divine Servant of Amun. I rule the Desert not you! I've controlled Waset long before you became King and I have done so my way, and now I always shall." He laughed triumphantly.

The rest of the company poured in behind him. Pas did not flinch in his brother's presence but Timaeus did not fail to notice the curled smile he gave Yugi. He recognized that smile. The same smile from the docks. The smile of a child who'd captured a wild animal he couldn't wait to show off like it was a caged pet.

"What have you done, Menk" Pas demanded with angry authority in his voice.

Menkheperre smiled. "Exactly what I said I would," he grinned. "I told you why, I won't share Waset with _you_. I have waited too long for this! Amen's death was supposed to be the crowning return of The Great One's Divine Servants to power; instead you sought to claim us for yourself without once consulting me! And worse you took Mut with you. And even far worse you tried to take Yugi with you too, knowing how precious he was to me, he and Mut. Can you truly blame me for wanting to take back what you stole from me? What was rightfully mine?

"They were never yours!" Path roared. "I didn't choose to be Per-a'ah: I was born it! It was not my dream to unite the temple and the capital. It was Pinedjam's dream, our _father's_ dream! It was his hope that through us, his sons, our beloved country would have a true peace. Was that wrong of me? And regardless of your hatred to me, why the devil would you involve Yugi? He has nothing to do with us!"

Menkheperre smiled. "He has everything to do with us." His eyes fell sharply on Yugi and his smile twisted. "You could've had everything, Yugi," he shook his head with disappointment and obnoxious triumph. "I could've given you whatever you desired if you had only listened to me."

"I didn't _want_ anything you promised me!" Yugi shot forward and snapped. "I never did!"

Before the words would've stung, but now neither Menkheperre nor Maatkare looked affected. Menkheperre just shook his head. His sigh was full of pity. "You should have. It all would've been so much simpler if you had."

"Enough," The per-a'ah shot forward, and positioned Yugi behind him and into Mut's arms and Timaeus' waiting cloak. "I'll ask you only once more, Menkheperre. What. Is. Your objective."

For a long moment, Menkheperre said nothing, but his gaze fixated on Yugi, who was determined not to flinch. He stared at him hard, and stoic under the intimidating stare, but he couldn't stop his shiver.

Menkheperre smiled. "Our original goal," he explained. "Was quite simple. Without Mut's influence, we hoped that if you were under the same restrictions as us, you would sympathize with our cause, and then petition our dear brother to declare a separation between the Temple and the State. A plan complicated by your stubborn refusal to listen. You always were a spoiled child, Yugi." He shook his head.

Yugi growled, but Mut, squeezed his shoulder. Her face copied Pas' neutral mask. Then Pas' brows knitted together and his glare sharpened. Menkheperre rolled his eyes but obeyed the silent command. "We were forced to change tactics."

"What tactics?" Pas demanded humorlessly and patiently.

This time it was Maat who spoke. "Since, Yugi stubbornly refused to see reason," her tone was scolding like a disappointed tutor. "We were forced to continue without him."

"Continue what!?" It was Mut who spoke, and her words were a harsh, low roar, doubly sharp.

"Well," Maatkare sang in a singsong voice. "Since he couldn't play the part of our ambassador, we decided to use his influence over you in a more" she paused dramatically then said " _forward_ matter."

No one looked amused.

Yugi's fingers writhed at his sides and his shoulder shook with rage. Finally, he could bare it no long longer and shouted "What do you want? What did you want with me?"

Finally both Menkheperre and Maatkare spoke. "We wanted you to replace _him_ as our Per-a'ah."

Everyone's faces dropped.

Yugi couldn't speak and when he finally did it his mind didn't register the words "You… What?"

"You could've been our king!" Menkheperre spat with heartbroken rejection. "Through you we would have influence over the capitol and never worry about being displaced again! And you threw it away!"

"But…Why?"Overcome by dizziness, Yugi swooned and was easily caught by Timaeus. "Why me?"

Why indeed. It was what Timaeus has wanted to know this entire conversation.

"You're mad!" Mut gasped in horror.

"Are we?" Maatkare cocked her head. "Because it makes perfect sense if you think about it." There was something in the way she said it that sent Timaeus' mind spinning with uncertainty.

"Why?"Pas demanded, his voice was all breath. "Why would you jeopardize everything our father worked so hard for? Why would you risk your life for a plot doomed to fail? So you truly despise me that much?"

"Oh don't be stupid, Pas," Menkheperre snorted like he was scolding a child. "Of course I don't. Despite our bitterness, you are still my brother and I am still yours. I would never wish to take from you what you've clearly waited your entire life for, nor would I want to leave the house, but I want to make it clear I don't expect to take orders from you, not in my own lands, and now I now that will never be the case."

What on earth did that mean? Timaeus wondered. Surely, they didn't still think they had the upper hand? Yet the High Priest reeked of bravado, and the priestess slouched like a lazy cat with all the cream. What was going on?

Pas forced himself to restrain his frustration and shook his head. King Dartz swooped forward like a shadow aged by experience and placed a steady hand on his young friend's shoulder. "Is it true then?" Dartz asked in a voice low and relaxed as thunder.

"What?" Maatkare asked, bored.

"That you planned on making Yugi your puppet." His words dropped through the silence like a stone in a well.

"No," Maatkare corrected sharply, he eyes directly on Yugi who flinched under it. "We planned on making you _our_ king!"

Timaeus' eyes shot open, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.

"I don't understand any of this, Menk. If you didn't want my throne then why? Why all this? Why Yugi?"

Menkheperre snorted and started to speak but Timaeus cut him off.

"Because he's the key to _you,_ " Timaeus said sharply with his head bowed. All eyes turned to him, and to his pleasure, even the priest and priestess looked surprised, though they hid it quickly. "This was never about overthrowing the Per-a'ah, simply replacing his authority in the _desert_ with someone they approved of." Timaeus marched forward leaving Yugi in Mut's arms. "You never intended to overthrow your brother. You simply wanted to force him to relinquish control of Waset to you," He kneeled down to meet their eyes, a smile slit his face. "But you're a priest, and she's a priestess. Legally, you _can't_ hold a position of true political power in title; it would simply be too much power for a single person." He spoke with jubilant sweetness. "But you _could_ act as the power behind the throne, if your King were simple a figurehead, and since Yugi is the only remaining male heir of your bloodline, he would have to fill the role. Thus your victory would be thrice-fold: you'd have your power through Yugi, and you get to permanently separate him from your rivals for his affections, and you have the satisfaction of knowing they'd lost him to you. Your revenge would be complete."

Yugi was wrong. And so was his king. It was never about power. Or about love. Just a forsaken brother and sister brought together by mutually jealousy, hate and a love that was too selfish to be loved anything less but best.

Menkheperre looked shocked for a moment then his lips curved into a slit and he laughed bitterly. "Very clever, General. Very clever."

"So that was your plan?" Pas asked, his voice hallow. "To use my love for our youngest brother against me?" His fists shook at his side. Out of the corner of his eye, Timaeus saw Mut's grip on her charge tighten. Yugi hadn't stopped shaking.

"A brilliant plan," Dartz complimented bitterly. "Despite its cruelty. If they had declared war with Yugi as their leader, as a King you could've easily fought and won, but as a man and a brother, you would've had no choice but to surrender." The hand on his friend's shoulder squeezed sympathetically. "If you _had_ fought—and won—you would've been forced to either exile or execute your most beloved sibling. Either way their victory would've been assured."

 _Execute_? Yugi's hands flew desperately to his neck. He knew well the punishment for high treason: beheading. It would've _destroyed_ Pas and Mut to have made that decision, let alone _watch_ it.

"It would've succeeded without your interference," Pas said. He turned to his friend and smiled. "Thank you my friend."

"Haha!" Maatakare's laugh pierced the silence like an arrow at a coronation ceremony. "You think so fondly of your sea rats!" She spat. "Do you have _any_ idea what he did while you were twiddling your thumbs, waiting? What he's stolen?" Her eyes fixated on Timaeus with the purest hate. "What's he's done since the moment you let him into Djanet?" Her voice was an enraged bark and a laugh of heartbroken pain, tears pricked her wild eyes and her hair flew about her wildly like thousands of living snakes, and her face was all madness. Even during her worst rages, Yugi had never seen her so frightening.

"What are you talking about?" He hadn't realized he spoke until after the words left his mouth.

Maatkare's expression dropped to enraged shock. "You…"her words were punctured with rage, then she exploded. " _Don't you dare play coy with me!_ " She lunged for him and Yugi screamed, Mut pulled him into her and shielded him with her back, and Timaeus jumped between them but Pas and Menkheperre, caught her just before she collapsed. She was silent for a moment, staring at Timaeus, as he knelt to Yugi and the Royal Wife, holding him, and Yugi allowed him to. "How dare you!" She snapped. "How dare you act like you belong there!" She raged in wild whispers then shouted again. "You stole him from us!" She pointed an accusing finger at Timaeus who blinked.

"And you!" She glared at Yugi, and dragged the word through clenched teeth. "You…"

"I what?" Yugi demanded, tired of being afraid. Gently, he shoved his protectors arms away and stood. "What did I ever do to _you_?" The demand was fierce and harsh.

"You chose him," Menkheperre's words dropped as Maatkare collapsed into a heap in his arms.

"We waited for you to finish grieving for your mother, and we waited for you to adapt to life in Waset, and we waited for you to be done with your little rebellion…only for you to give your heart to a mixed breed _pirate_." He spat each word dangerously low. His infuriated glare fixated on Timaeus who blinked once.

Yugi was about to ask what he meant then he stopped torn between uncertainly and realization.

"Pas and Mut we understood, they'd always held your heart, but he…" Maat was shaking and snarling.

That day just before they arrived in Djanet, he remembered now: remembered Menkheperre accusing him of being Timaeus' whore, Maatkare calling him traitor. She hadn't meant their cause. She'd meant when he'd kissed Timaeus in front of them and Timaeus called him betrothed.

"We _worked_ for your love, fought for it, did all within out power to _keep_ it. We _deserved_ it!" She was screaming now, but Menkheperre held her tight as she tore at her dress and hair. "And then _he_ comes and you just _gave_ it to him! Without him even _trying_!?"

Timaeus blinked twice, then his eyes narrowed and he pinched the bridge of his nose. " _That_ was why you did all this?" He said in a bored sigh that showed no sympathy. "Because you think he fancies me?" He rolled his eyes then looked t Yugi.

Yugi's eyes were hard but his smile was sharp. "How childish."

"How dare you!" Maatkare screamed and shook but Menkhperre's grip did not falter.

"Easy sister," Menkhperre's voice was all venom. "It no longer matters, remember?"

Maatkare's fury transformed into a smile. "That's right, it doesn't."

Something in her smile made Yugi shiver and Timaeus' reflexes doubly sharp.

"I have heard enough!" Pas thrust forward, his voice hard and commanding. "You will both be returned to Waset for service. Hence forth, as I have no desire to spill my own family's blood, you will be confined to the House of Amun. You are fortunate this knowledge is not public or the people would cry for your heads." There was no mercy in his voice.

The hem-netjer only smiled. "I expected no less," Menkheperre said. "Fortunate," he whispered to his sister, but made no effort to conceal it. "We won't be going alone."

Timaeus' ears perked up. "Per-a'ah?" he interrupted, and waited until Pas acknowledged him before he spoke again. "The consequences for rebellion in your county? What are they?"

It was not an odd question to ask and Yugi knew the answer, but it made him feel uneasy.

After a long moment, Pas answered "Depending on the severity of the crime and the roles of those involved, a public execution or exile."

"Roles?" Timaeus questioned.

Pas elaborated. "Supporters, for example, would have the choice between imprisonments or hard labor. The leaders, however, would either face public execution or exile if they surrendered."

"And…of course," Menkheperre chimed in, his deadly gaze, cold with triumph, locking on Yugi. "The same fate would no doubt befall the one who sought to _replace_ the King as well, especially if the knowledge was well known."

The group spun to him. Menkheperre's only smirked and Maatkare crackled victoriously. " Oh yes! What would the people think if they found their Pharaoh pardoned the boy who planned to overthrow him simply because he's his brother?"

The words dropped like a stone in a well. The silence that followed was more dreadful than a scream. The final piece fell into place and Yugi shivered in shocked horror. Dreadfully, he remembered the strange events that morning, but only now did he remember similar sneers before, similar hard looks and scowls of hate the day before and how the episodes grew more and more frequent with each passing tenday.

Yugi stumbled back and fell into Timaeus' cloak and was easily caught by his arms. Mut had frozen her face a mask of shock. Pas had not moved. The hem-netjer smiled, and King Dartz hadn't stopped glaring.

"You were right, Timaeus," Dartz, who'd been unusually quiet, whispered. His voice was dangerous and low. "They _did_ have spies in this city."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said hardest thing about this one was the set up: revealing the priests' plots without actually saying it and STILL making them come off as somewhat three-dimensional and not just flat villains out for power and all that nonsense. They had a reason, granted not a right one, but still. Phew!
> 
> Next chapter will be that first major plottwist i mentioned.
> 
> Next Time: The plot has been revealed. Yugi's fate is no longer his own, and when a decision is made, Timaeus drops a bomb that will set literally EVERYTHING out of whack.


	23. Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: The plot has been revealed. Yugi's fate is no longer his own, and when a decision is made, Timaeus drops a bomb that will set literally EVERYTHING out of whack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S FINALLY HERE! THE FIRST MAJOR PLOTTWIST OF THIS STORY FROM THE QUEEN HERSELF! (Takes an elegant bow) I think you've ALL going to like it... Let's Just say the moment you've all been waiting for it about to arrive...
> 
> This was a crazy week...hence why this chapter took a while to post. but since everyone's dealing with finals and what not i figured it wouldn't be that bad ;)

_Chapter XXIII: Decision_

Timaeus spun to his King, and silently cursed. His grip on Yugi hadn't faltered. The truth of the situation and the gravity of it sank like an anchor through still water. Then a snort cut through the silence. Menkheperre and Maatkare exploded in laugher and the reaction that followed was a chain that couldn't be snapped.

The Per-a'ah and Royal Wife shot forward like pouncing lions. Mutnedjmet slapped her sister so hard she fell over in shock. Psusennes ceased the collar of the High Priest's robe and shoved him fiercely into unforgiving stone. "What did you _do_!?" He roared low and ferocious. His violet eyes blazed wild and dangerous with fury. His fist buried deeper into the man's throat and Menkheperre dangled, wheezing from the force of the strike. He tried to speak but his voice was heavy, ragged breaths.

"It's already done," the priestess hissed from the floor, her eyes wild and victorious. "You're too late to stop it." The Queen stood menacingly over her, and Timaeus saw the priestess flinch for a second before a moment then he face split in a grin of absolute triumph. "Whatever plans you had for him are gone. He's lost to you."

Her gaze fixated on Yugi as she spoke. Each word dripped with venom, and Timaeus felt him sink deeper into his arms.

Psusennes turned to the Priest again: his grip twice as hard, his eyes doubly sharp, and he punctured each word with rage. "What. Did. You. _Do_!?" He was tired of these games and it reflected dangerously in his words and on his face.

The priest gasped for breath and wheezed, "We let it slip to the servants how Prince Udjalah plotted to usurp the throne as the only child of our father's favorite wife, after his mother failed to make herself his Great Royal one," He paused to choke. "and how he sought to seduce your foreign allies to his cause."

Psusennes dropped him and he fell to his knees gasping, "You had your spies leak this information?" the Per-a'ah's voice was devoid of all emotion. "When?" he demanded, the neutrality of it made it even more terrifying.

"One ten-day after our arrival," the priestess sang, swaying back and forth, like she was singing a children's song.

Mutnedjmet's fingers twitched and curled, like she wanted to slap her sister again, but knew it would do no good, and so restrained herself.

"Enough time for the rumor to start and more for it to spread." She giggled in delight, looking right past her sister and fixated her twisted smile on Timaeus' charge. "And your fraternizing with your pirate certainly helped to confirm the rumors, you little slut." He words were sweet and pitched and devoid of bitterness and it made their cut even sharper.

"Why?" Yugi's trembled, tears dripping onto his shaking hands. "Why, why, why! Why would you do this to me!? Yugi screamed and tore at his hair and clothes until Timaeus grabbed his hands, and Mutnedjmet spun to his side. Tears streaked his cheeks, and scattered when he shook his head. "Do you truly hate me that much?"

"No, little one, they don't hate you." Timaeus stepped forward. "Just the opposite. They have decided if they cannot have your love for themselves than no one else shall."

Yugi stopped and the room turned to the Priest and priestess still on the floor. Menkheperre helped a still spinning Maatkare to her feet. She swayed and spun and her face was mad with delight.

Yugi shook his head, his eyes hardened and he squared his shoulders, but his hands still shook. "Do you honestly think this will make me love you?"

"I don't care," Menkheperre said quick and cold. "I don't care if you hate me! I don't care if you despise me! I don't care if you never speak to me again! I don't care! You will return home with us, and I will have you and _he_ won't." The priest spat the word through an abrasive rasp. "Whatever happens after that is nothing." There was a mad triumph in his voice when he said it, a cold triumph of a man who even when caught would perpetually taste the sweetness of revenge.

Timaeus shook his head in disgust and Yugi's hands curled into fists of rage and betrayal. "I'll never go with you!"

The Royal Wife stepped forward and hissed. "We'll never allow it!" The Per-a'ah was as her side in agreement.

The priestess threw her head back and roared with mad laugher. "You think it matters what you _allow_?" she cackled. "You think you can protect him now? His reputation is destroyed! Your alliance is ruined! The people know him as a traitor! He'll never be allowed to stay in Djanet now!"

"And if he does, their trust in their Per-a'ah will be shattered." The priest held the princess as she trembled with laughter. A terrible smirk for triumph crossed his face like a jackal that caught a rabbit that was convinced it had escaped. "You can have the Delta, but I will have the desert! Your influence will not touch it." His eyes fixated on Yugi as he said it. "I'll make sure of that."

The Per-a'ah shook with rage and moved to speak, but was cut off. "Per-a'ah," Dartz said flat and neutral. The Per-a'ah spun to him and Timaeus turned as well, bewildered. Dartz's face was pinched and his mouth was a frustrated line. Calmly, he asked, "May we speak alone?"

The Per-a'ah pondered the request then turned to the gloating priest and priestess. He nodded then turned to two of the Dragon Knights. "Would one of your Knights be kind enough to watch them? I don't want them left unguarded for a moment."

"Of course," Dartz nodded as Hermos stepped forward to volunteer. He bowed to the Queen and Princes then fixated a neutral glare on the pair. They took their seats again like they were about to share a drink.

Dartz motioned to the other two knights. Critias followed without question, but Timaeus hesitated until Mut placed her hands on Yugi's trembling shoulders. Yugi nodded to him.

"Perhaps," Dartz suggested, "It'd be best if your lady and prince waited outside?" he asked his voice deep with concern and sympathy. Psusennes hesitated.

"Go," Yugi and Mut said together.

"We'll be alright." the lady assured her husband and he nodded. The four men exited to another room, the door closed behind them but it was hardly a barrier.

Dartz nodded. "We have no choice," he sighed in a defeated voice. Psusennes and Timaeus looked at him. Critias expected the answer and did nothing.

Dartz regarded each man with a heavy sigh then spoke, "We have to send Ujalah back to Waset."

The shock was echoed by an eerie silence. The Per-a'ah's face narrowed in protest: the refusal in his eyes knife-edged and razor sharp.

"You're mad." Even Timaeus couldn't fathom any other response. "Surely, you of all people cannot mean—"

Dartz shook his head then bowed solemnly to his friend. "I'm sorry my friend," He met Psusennes with sorrowful eyes and a sympathetic frown. "This is our only option if we wish to save his life. He must return to Waset."

"How can you of all people..." Timaeus swallowed his exasperation. Enraged, but calm his words were vehement "Yugi has spent his life trying to escape the priests and now he is finally free from them and now you want him to throw him right back into their cage?"

"We have no choice!" Dartz said fiercely. "The priests have already claimed him as one of their own. The people believe him a traitor. If he stays he will be a threat to the alliance and the Per-a'ah's reign."

"So we make my brother a sacrifice." Psusennes bit out. His face betrayed no emotion. "Give the priests their hostage in exchange for a mock stability? He has done _nothing_ wrong, and I will _not_ have him sentenced for a crime he did not commit."

Dartz exhaled a sigh of defeat, his fingers pinched his brow. "I'm sorry, my friend, I truly am, but we must have perception here."

"Yugi is merely a pawn," Timaeus insisted, "And he is innocent. The people trust their Pera'ah more than the Priests. They will believe him if he calls out their lies."

Dartz shook his head solemnly. "The people's trust in their monarch is fragile. They know little of political situations and they judge solely on what they know to be true. The truth is secondary to their perception of it. And their perception is that it is their prince, not their priests who is the traitor. They will ask for his head."

"I will not have it," Psusennes said defiantly. "This is exactly what my brother wants: to back me into a corner and I will not have it! I will not give into his whims! I will not let him control me or Yugi!"

"And if we do not that is exactly what you _will_ be doing!" Dartz insisted. The sympathy in his voice was matched by growing frustration. "I admit I am fond of your brother, but our care towards him is irrelevant. That is the burden we bear as rulers. We accept the people's gratitude for any success and the blame for any misfortune, and we are responsible for removing that misfortune. You know it to be true, my friend. Ujalah cannot stay in Djanet."

"This is madness!" Timaeus shrieked in frustration.

"It is the simplest solution," Critias stepped forward, leaving the King and Per-a'ah to speak. He turned to his comrade with eyes torn between bewilderment and displeasure. "We are not here to ensure the safety of one child. We are here to ensure the alliance is secure and Kemet is united, _that_ is Atlantis' only role in this fight, Timaeus. Have you forgotten that?"

The accusation in his voice was not directed towards the alliance and Timaeus knew it. He spun to face him. His eyes hard, shoulders squared and his stance indomitable. "I have not forgotten. It is why I am determined not to let the priests control us. And why I will _not_ compromise my honor by sacrificing an innocent simply for our benefit!"

Critias growled. "You are a fool. You're letting your emotions blind you to simplest answer!"

It _was_ the simplest answer, even Timaeus knew that, but the very thought of handing Yugi over to the priests as a political hostage. The very thought of tearing away the freedom he worked so desperately for, the freedom that he'd only just started to taste…it was like recapturing a wild bird and returning it to a cage to serve as an exotic pet. The thought sickened him. It was impossible to think of it objectively. Not when the objectively choice was to sacrifice a child. It didn't matter if Yugi was a Prince. It didn't matter if it was his duty. It didn't matter if it was the simple choice or the right choice. It didn't matter if it was the only outcome. Because the Priests would get _exactly_ what they wanted. There would be no united Kemet. The reign of Psusennes I would not be a golden age but a continuance of a long chain of instability. And worst of all would be the child trapped, forgotten and alone in the shadows with the very people he despised and feared the most.

"I will _not_ allow it," His tone held no room for argument and the fight in his stance gave no room for rebellion.

Critias glared at him, enraged. The argument between the Kings bounced off the walls in shadowy echoes like howling ghosts demanding redemption. And then a voice so tiny it broke the sound like a single whisper of silence wept.

"You can't send me back," Caught off guard by how weak it sounded, Timaeus spun and his heart dropped to his stomach.

Yugi trembled in the doorway."Please?" He hiccupped through a tight sob, choked with tears. "Please don't send me back there! I can't—I" His words were panicked stumbling sobs and pleads that even Mutnedjmet couldn't mollify. When she touched his shoulders, Yugi reacted like a wound up spring and he flung himself to his knees pleading. "Throw me in the dungeons for the rest of my life! Imprison me in the House, whatever you must do, I don't care, just please don't send me back to Waset! I beg you, don't send me back."

Timaeus' heart broke. It was all he could do to keep from falling to his knees, like the Royal Wife had already done, and pull the terrified child into his arms and shield him against the world. He could not make those promises and it enraged him most of all that he could not keep them: A failed Guardian.

The King and Per-a'ah looked stricken with grief and guilt: the burden of their positions left them defeated and weak. The priests sat inclined on their cushioned chairs like they were thrones. The priestess prepared to laugh again and the priest's face was fixed with a smile of victorious smugness like a spoiled cat. Only his comrades looked objective, understanding the lesser of two evils but purposely blind to the emotional damage it would cause. And he, became the victim's guardian just to protect him, and had been blind to the weapon of lies.

Timaeus thought again and it gave him an answer. "Be easy, little gem," He knelt down beside Yugi. His words were so gentle, his voice so promising that for an instant Yugi was reminded of the first Timaeus, the one who held him trembling in Mut's temple, who'd comforted him with a drape of his cloak and held him as he cried, who'd kissed him so tenderly and passionately for a moment Yugi could pretend they were lovers brought together by the whim of Mut and the honor of Sekhmet. Yugi's tears stopped.

"That will not happen," Timaeus promised. His hands found Yugi's shoulders and gently hoisted him up. "I will not allow it." His said it over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed, and his voice hard and final, but free of defiance.

The room stared at him then his King regarded him with hard eyes. " _That_ is not your decision."

"With all due respect, Your Highness," Timaeus spun to face him and bowed slightly. "But it is." His mouth formed a smile as he rose and Dartz' eyes enlarged, surprised rather than shocked. Even the Per-a'ah looked more curious by his declaration than insulted.

Again Timaeus bowed, this time to Kemet's King. "He is under my protection and it was granted by his Eminence, Akheperre Setepenamun that I become his Guardian. I am _still_ his Guardian. Regardless of issue at hand, I have a say in his fate." Yugi's head shot up and his eyes expanded. What was he doing? Did he not understand the seriousness of what he was saying? A declaration made by the Per-a'ah was not easily given nor was it easily undone. It would bear the responsibility of the crime himself, and he would be charged with disciplining the accused. Regardless of the crimes, the responsibility always fell on the one charged with the ward's care.

Timaeus displayed only unyielding confidence. "And I will not return him to the clutches of his enemies. He is lost to them."

Silence echoed with his words. The Royal Wife and Per-a'ah exchanged mutual looks, shocked but sparked with hope. His comrades spun to him, Hermos with wide-eyed exasperation and Critias was stricken with horrified shock. Never had they seen him so defiant, though his loyalty remained unwavering.

His King said nothing, simply regarded him with eyes wide with incredulous rage and his lips fighting the twitch of an impressed smile. "Your passion for the prince's welfare is admirable," the king said ruefully. "But our personal feelings are secondary to peace. He may be yours to protect, but his fate is not yours to decide!"

"He is right, Lord Timaeus," the Per-a'ah stepped forward. "You are Yugi's guardian, but that role was always meant to be temporary."

Timaeus face remained neutral. His eyes locked with both King's then he spared a glance at Yugi who looked at him with hopeful eyes. Again his heart broke, but this time from guilt. He exhaled it sharply, then squared his shoulders and faced both kings.

A smile slit his face. "Not if I take him as my consort."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right. I went there. (Queen slouches on her throne in her black dress, sipping her Sunset Blush with a Kuriboh in her lap) It's Good to Be the Queen..
> 
> Bet none of you thought THIS was how they'd get married MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
> 
> Next Time: The bomb has been dropped and everyone has their own reaction, but silver-tongued Timaeus is ready to defend his case...even if his little gem never trusts him again.


	24. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: The bomb has been dropped and everyone has their own reaction, but silver-tongued Timaeus is ready to defend his case...even if his little gem never trusts him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is a little late ^^' Holidays! but Here's my late christmas Gift to everyone!
> 
> Merry Christmas! Next week will be the last update of the year! WOOHOO!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing, much of Timaeus points were inspired by the book The black Diamond by Andrea Kane. REALLY helped.
> 
> As always, read, review, reply, comment, critique and ask questions and now the moment you've all been waiting for...The reaction to Timaeus' Proposal!

Chapter XXIV: Proposal

The priestess stopped laughing. The answer was a rousing chorus of silence and Yugi absorbed it all in stunned disbelief.

Timaeus' gaze swept the room: Pas' face was the picture of shock, but his eyes were calculating. Mut's arms loosened around his shoulders, her eyes wide with surprise but there was a hint of a smile on her face. Then they fell on Yugi-and remained confidently stoic. Not a hint of apology or remorse.

After a long moment, King Dartz stumbled back flabbergasted. Then his breath expelled in a rush ""You…What?"

Timaeus didn't flinch. "I believe I have made myself clear."

"You would not dare!?" Maatkare chocked on her own shock. Her voice weak and shaking. She pointed a single, accusing finger. "He is ours! He was supposed to be ours!" Menkhperre's grip on his sister faltered and she dropped. His own shock broken in a rousing roar of anger "You dare!"

"Do I?" Timaeus cut him off sharply and aloofly. "Isn't that why you claimed he was attempting to 'seduce me to his cause'? I did call him my fiance?"

"You fool!" Menkheperre dropped his sister and raged, first at Timaeus then at his older brother! "This madness would never be allowed! Tell him Pas!" He spun to his brother but Pas regarded him with cold eyes.

"You have no right to speak on the matter," Pas recovered all at once. The sharp words were like a slap across Menkhperre's face and it dropped in shock.

"Lord Hermos," Pas turned to the Knight in burgundy. "Lord Critias," He then addressed the Knight in blue. "Will you please escort these two back to their chambers. We have much to discuss with Lord Timaeus."

Critias opened his mouth to protest, but Dartz silenced him with a look. Dismissed with a nod, Critias bowed and reluctantly joined his comrade. The priestess screeched when Hermos helped her off the floor, her hands flexed in claws at Timaeus but Hermos' grip was stronger and he dragged her away. A prisoner to his shock, Menkheperre did not resist when Critias arrested him and dragged him from the chambers. Their protests bounced off the halls and entered the audience chamber in dying echoes and then there was silence.

Yugi regarded him with incredulous eyes. Timaeus wanted to say something, but knew he could not. Not yet. He could only hope in time, the gem would forgive him.

"Let us speak," Pas said, his words were harsh with restraint and he pressed his thumb and curled forefinger to his temple. His face was all business. Without looking at her he said "Mut will you..."

"Do not, Pasbahknuuit," she cut him off quick and sharp. "Marriage is the Duty of the Mother, and this is Yugi of whom we speak. I am Great Royal Wife. I am not going anywhere."

"Neither am I!" Yugi recovered himself all at once and cut off all objections. "This is my fate we're speaking of and I demand a say in it!"

Timaeus regarded him with a sad expression. "I'm sorry, Ujalah, but I'm afraid your fate is no longer yours to decide."

Yugi stumbled back, shocked. It wasn't the statement. Nor the harsh truth of it. Timaeus had called him Ujalah. It hurt more than it should have, and the betrayal was like a cold slap across his cheek. He let it fester in his belly and fixed the Trierarch with a glare. "And you do?"

Timaeus only smirked. "Did I not just say I wanted you for my consort, little gem?"

Yugi's face fumed with color.

"Enough!" Dartz snapped hoarsely. His hand covered his face and he exhaled sharply and evenly. "Timaeus," he said with a restrained hiss. "I hope you understand what it is you're asking?"

Timaeus spun to him and nodded. "I know perfectly well what I am asking. I never jest about my life. Nor do I jest about things I consider important. You know me better than that."

Dartz's expression did not change. "Yes, I do. Which is why I want to insist upon the gravity of what you're asking."

"I understand the gravity of marriage perfectly well," Timaeus said with a calculated smile. "I am unmarried and when I do I fully intend to do my duty by my wife and remain loyal to them as is both my law as a Locrian and my moral as a man. In accordance I have no present lovers, no prior engagements nor do I have any betrothed, correct?" He rose and eyebrow to the King but his smile was a thin line.

Pas and Mut exchanged a look then turned to the King for confirmation. The King looked shocked for a moment, then cross, then his eyes turned heavy with sadness, and, if Yugi had to guess, defeat. It wasn't loss or anger, or even the disappointment of being beaten, rather a awakened acceptance. A denial he'd held onto with the faint optimistic hope that things might change, even when he knew they never would.

"No," Dartz expelled in a huff. "You do not," he shook his head then looked at Timaeus with a small smile. "You are free to marry whomever you choose. Unless, of course, you were lying about being Ujalah's betrothal just now?" Dartz added with a sly smile.

The three Kemets suddenly looked surprised, and Yugi's heart sank. He wanted to scream. How could he have forgotten that! "That was a mistake!" he tried to mumble but Timaeus had cut him off.

"Of course, that was to dispel the misconceptions the priests had about my escorting Ujalah to Djanet." He regarded both the Per-a'ah and the Royal Wife before he spoke again. "They misinterpreted my and Ujalah's friendship as something less than proper. Now those false rumors have given the public a twisted ideal of our two countries' alliance," he said grimly, then smiled "However, wouldn't those rumors be completely groundless if it was revealed that Ujalah was my fiancé?" Yugi's insides twisted when Pas and Mut exchanged a calculated glance he couldn't read.

"Then his attempts to…seduce me, as the priests called it, would be seen as little more than a bridegroom bonding with his betrothed. It would reestablish the people's faith in the alliance, and dispel Ujalah of all wrong-doing, Just think of the stories." Timaeus spun grandly, addressing all three majesties. "The Prince of Kemet falling for the gallant General, who rescued him from the clutches of power-hungry officials, makes a much better story than a slip of a boy seducing a seasoned pirate to gain alliance to a throne that clearly isn't his. The people love a good romance, and even more they love a Royal Wedding."

There was something brilliantly logical about it and sickeningly horrifying all at once and Yugi's mind spun.

"It certainly would…" Yugi froze in horror when Pas spoke. He spun to him with eyes wide with hurt and betrayal but Pas wasn't looking at him and neither was Mut.

"But from the way you speak, we are safe in assuming this isn't just a simple declaration to correct false information." Her face was sharp with the calculated curl of a smile and an unsurprised, all-knowing brightness of her eyes. "You speak of proposing a real betrothal and are proposing an actual marriage to our Prince?"

"Have I given any indication that I wanted anything less, Lady Majesty?" Timaeus' smile matched hers and the cat-like grin Yugi knew well returned to her face. Oh Amun, oh Ra, Oh Mut, no! They couldn't be? Were they actually…?

"You have not," Pas stepped to his wife's side and watched Timaeus with a guarded expression, but the smallest of smiles curled at his cheek. "But you'll forgive us our concerns. You really mean this do you? You're asking to marry, Yugi?"

"I am," Timaeus said with unwavering, undeterred earnest. "Now the question is will you approve of me as his bridegroom or forbid the union?"

"Your argument is sound," Pas said with some reluctance. "But I have no intention of simply handing my brother over to the first man who asks." Mut gave him a look and Yugi sighed with relief.

An unexpected grin tugged at Timaeus' lips. "Per-a'ah, I'll give you a wealth of reasons why you should consider my offer. First, as I mentioned earlier, the priests have named me as his ruinner. Second, all of our prime concern is Yugi's safety and for good reason. We can dance around the issue all we like, but the fact of the matter is that at this point, it is no longer possible for Yugi to stay in Djanet, nor would he be safe anywhere else in Kemet, as we are in agreement that returning him to Waset is out of the question. As my consort, he would accompany me to Locri where he will become a citizen of Atlantis. He has no enemies there, and more importantly, his enemies here cannot follow him. He will be rid of the Priests and their influence once and for all. You want Yugi safe and taken care of, he will be. For starters he will be an Atlantian citizen and my husband. My titles may have little merit in Kemet, but in Atlantis, I am the First of the Dragon Knights, a coveted title, one of only three and chosen by the King himself, of which I am not only the youngest but their Leader. I am also Trierarch of the Eye of Timaeus and my men obey me without flaw and if I order them they will protect Yugi with their lives. Locri is also my domain, and my position as its Governor, that alone gives me status equal to that of monarch in your country. Further, he will be my consort, and let me assure you that no one, I repeat no one for whom I'm responsible has ever come to harm. As my consort, Yugi will be fully protected at all times—by me. Safety will cease to be an issue."

The smallest of smiles tugged at Pas lips. Timaeus' grin widened. "On to status, Yugi may be a prince in your country, but he possesses very little political or religious power, nor does he have any real influence. Such will not be the case in Locri. As the Consort of a Trierarch and Governor, Yugi will not only inherit those titles, but rule at my side, a position I am confident he will be well suited for. Not only will he be responsible for the needs of the people and their welfare but he will be acting Physician and responsible for the health of not only my household but the Island's physicians as well. Being a Priest of Sekhmet, he will have no trouble adjusting to such a role. He would also have my whole staff and all the ranks associated with the fairer sex as his kingdom, and I am confident in his abilities. Anything he needs to learn I will teach him myself, he'll have attendants to assist him when I cannot, and my quartermaster, who he is already close friends with, would only be too delighted to teach him."

"Now, on to finances," Timaeus continued "I have been Governor of Locri nearly six years, in that time I have turned it into a self-efficient and self-sustaining city. As Trierarch I finance the purchase of my own ships which double as battle ships if needed, but primarily as merchant and trade ships. That has allowed me to live a comfortable life in my own home, however I do not waste those comforts nor do I squander my savings. And, I might add, my association with the Royal Family, as an honorary member and a Dragon Knight, I am rewarded a modest, annual pension, far more than enough to support myself and my nation, but also enough to provide Yugi with whatever he desires. Your brother will never want for anything again, and I shall personally make sure of it." He shifted to look at Yugi a smile slit his face.

Yugi's fists curled, and he growled through gritted teeth. It was all he could do to keep from punching him.

"And what of children?" It was Mut who spoke and Yugi spun to her. "Would it bother you that Yugi cannot give you heirs?"

"My Lady," Timaeus explained. "The heir to Locri is not mine to decide. All the offices are appointed and chosen by his Majesty. I, of course, may present my chosen for consideration but ultimately it is the King who will decide. I will simply be his mentor. As to a more personal matter, I am well aware, neither Yugi nor I would be able to have children naturally on our own. However, Locri has many orphans to adopt and love, and as I have no intention of siring bastards, it would matter not to mean who bears our children should she choose to have any so long as that child is ours to raise. The decision will be entirely up to Yugi."

Yugi felt a weight in his stomach. Oh Ra, were they really talking about children? What made it worse was he himself had had the same thoughts not that very morning.

He paused and smiled to his King. "In addition, I am still an adoptive member of the Royal Family, and with that honor I am bestowed both the trust and respect of the people and an honorably nobility of the Royal Family am I not?"

Dartz smiled. "Indeed, all of which in turn would be Yugi's upon your marriage. Therefore, his title as Prince would be elevated to that of the Atlantian Royal Family, but associated with the titles and ranks associated with Timaeus' House and Name."

Timaeus arched a brow and gestured his hands. "Think of the delightful upheaval such a union will do for the alliance as well? The youngest prince of Kemet's new United Royal House and the First of Atlantis' Dragon Knights? What could be a better symbol of the eternal friendship and unity between Atlantis and Kemet? That alone would make it worthwhile. We could even have it here in the House of Amun to honor the bride."

The bride. Like they were speaking of a grand affair between mutual lovers and not an arranged political union done solely for practicality and safety. The bride who was expected to perform her duty, willingly and obediently without question. The bride who would act as a bridge between her own family as well as her husbands, but forced to leave her family, home and country behind for that of her husband's. The bride who was the symbol and vehicle of connection between families and countries, even if she was nothing more than an ornament for the harem or a doll to sit on her husband's bed until he chose to play with her. The Bride. The word sounded so awful in his mind.

"I will not do it!" He hissed under his breath. The words echoed in the silence. "I will not marry you!" He said louder his voice choked with tears and rage. He fixated Timaeus with wet eyes, and his voice was hoarse with betrayal. "I am not some prize to be won and bartered off! And I'm not some helpless damsel you need to protect!" He said sharp and accusingly, but his hands were shaking.

Timaeus looked at him. For a moment there was surprise then his face fell to a frown and his single eye, a soulful emerald, emphasized apologetically by the pale, painful slit of his right eye.

Don't. Yugi couldn't stand it. Don't look at me like that. "I will not do it!" he declared, his voice breaking. "And you can't force me!" He spun on his heels and ran. He ran like he ran from Waset the morning he'd met Timaeus. He ran like he has when he's woken in the man's bed alone and surrounded by enemies. It wasn't fear. It wasn't survival. It wasn't freedom he desired. No, it was the memories tormenting his soul every time he closed his eyes. Of the Green Shadow and the terrifying Trierarch that promises to protect him. Of the kisses burning his lips, playful and challenging and setting fire ablaze under his skin, and then soft and promising, and so gentle he thought it could be love. His ears rang like drums pounding in his skull, one minute they were seductive whispers and playful teasing that challenged him to play, the sweet promises so earnest and hopeful they made him weep. And those bi-colored eyes that had so many conflicting and contradicting expressions and emotions, it made him all the more determined to see what was behind the masks. See the real face. But all he saw was that single soulful expression that barely acknowledged him with a glance.

He'd been a fool.

A fool who'd fallen for another mask. A fool who believed the silver-tongued promises of a diplomat.

And it tore his heart to pieces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was fun to write (would've been done faster but the book I needed was IMPOSSIBLE to find! Seriously, i ended up downloading one of those ereader apps and doing a temp trial that I was smart enough to cancel and wouldn't you know it, next day after work i found out the book came in at the library (falls over) UGH!
> 
> But after that it was fun: hard part was keeping Yugi and Timaeus' pov balanced, but I think i handled it pretty well ^^
> 
> Little historical note: Originally, I was gonna have Yugi's official Title be consort since wife sounded more definite and marriage related (hence the term "to wife" meaning to marry" but my beta suggested consort since Yugi's a boy. I agreed. Consort, traditionally, means wife, or the wife of someone in a position of power. However, as a Title, it usually means that the spouse doesn't have any such political power, for example Queen Consort would be the King's Wife, but she would have no real power in politics, likewise Prince Consort, was the husband of the Queen and would likewise have no political power, unless appointed by the Queen (this does not mean they did not possess a great deal of influence however). In this case, Consort simply means Yugi will be the equivalent of a wife and have all the responsibilities of a Governor's wife (Governor was an actual position and title in several countries around the world at that time, and depending on the power of central government acted as rulers in their own right.
> 
> The King of Atlantis, however, being the one to decide the heirs to the State, I made up, but it was loosely based on an ancient Roman custom known as the Five noble Emperors where instead of using hereditary as a prerequisite, the Emperor adopt an heir from a pool of elderly boys and nobles who he felt had the best qualities of a King and raise him in the art of statecraft) In Atlantis, it works the same way. So since Timaeus doesn't need an heir of his own to rule Locri, the fact he and Yugi can't naturally have children is not an issue. Also, adoption was a very common practice in both Ancient Egypt and much of of the Ancient world. Unlike the Hittie Empire and Babalyon that required strict pedigrees to rule, the Ancient Egyptians, and much of Greece were actually very lenient with class and rank in terms of marriage. Several Per-a'ah's took commoners or even slaves as wives, and many even became Great Royal Wives if the Per-a'ah had no sisters or simply chose not to marry one of them, one such story is of Rhodepis, who was a greek slave that the Per-a'ah Amanisis married, which is believed to be the origin of cinderella (I'm NOT kidding! look it up!) As such, adoption, especially if the Wife couldn't have children was considered a very noble thing to do and even families that did have their own children would adopt orphans as servants or apprentices. Just something I wanted to bring up since kids and heirs was THE THING back then.
> 
> Plus, we get a little more background on Timaeus ;)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it! I also hope with the holidays dwindling down and school out you can all take a break and relax and enjoy ^^
> 
> Next Time: In the aftermath of Yugi's reaction, The Per-a'ah and Royal wife have a serious discussion about Timaeus' offer and plans are made to undo Menkheperre and Maatkare's scheming once and for all!


	25. Preperations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of Yugi's reaction, The Per-a'ah and Royal wife have a serious discussion about Timaeus' offer and plans are made to undo Menkheperre and Maatkare's scheming once and for all!

_Chapter XXV: Preparations_

"Yugi, wait!" Mut spun to chase him, but Pas grabbed her arm and she stopped.

"Let him go, Mut. We need to discuss this first," he mollified. "You know Yugi, approaching him without a definite decision could make this whole situation worse for him."

He turned to the Atlantian King and Knight. Dartz responded with a nod. Timaeus' stared at the door where Yugi had run. He didn't move until he felt the King's hand on his shoulder. Both of them stepped away, giving the Per-a'ah and his wife their space.

Mut freed her arm, but her voice was absent of anger. "You saw his face. Timaeus is a good man, but Yugi—"

"He is right, Mut," Pas cut her off, but his words were soft and in no way sharp. "I love Yugi, just as fiercely as you do, but he cannot stay in Djanet, and I will walk willing into Ammut's belly before I see him returned to Waset. The only way to protect him now, is to get him out of Kemet. This is the best way. You and he have talked about it have you not? Yugi is young but he is not a child, it is time he was married. It's very clear Timaeus cares for him, and though I know he is upset now, I know Yugi cares for him. It is a good match."

"Indeed, it is," Mut agreed. "But Yugi is stubborn. He had been since he was a child. Even if all this is done for his benefit and the union promises to be a happy one, he'll deny any such feelings simply out of pride. Even if this works, what of Menkheperre and Maatkare? You can't expect them to surrender their loyalty simply because Yugi is lost to them?"

Pas smiled at her. "I've already planned a solution to that. Menkheperre doesn't covet power: he simply fears his own being overlooked. I have no desire to create further strife between our lands or our family. It is time for both to have peace." There was a regal passion to the words that even Mut had not seen in him before. It was both, tired and relieved, determined and impassioned as well as relaxed and finished.

"What will you tell him?" she asked him, simply. She didn't know what else to say.

Pas met her eyes. His mile was cunning and content. "He will remain as Waset's head as First Prophet of Amun, so long as he reigns with the family."

"Pas, you know he will never answer to you."

"No, not me," he took her hands in his own, "To you."

Mut stumbled back. "Me?" The word was a breath. Her mouth remained open but no sound came out,

"Yes," Pas nodded. "He will be First Prophet of Amun at Waset, but you will be Second Prophet of Amun at Djanet. It is me he has always hated. You, he has always adored and any dislike was simply the need to spite me. He will listen to you."

For a full moment Mut couldn't speak. The weight of his words fell on her shoulders like a mantle of bones, but it was surprisingly light. She composed herself and asked. "And our sister?" She couldn't recall when she had last called Maatkare that.

Pas smiled at the title. "She will remain as God's Wife of Amun, but the title of Divine Adoratrice will be given to her successor who will in turn be one of her nieces. Whether that girl is our daughter or Menkhperre's will be decided in turn when the future comes."

Mut's face was that of a queen, regal and dignified and scrutinizing all possible flaws without even the appearance of weakness or concern. "You're certain they will agree to this?"

It was not a question, but Pas answered it anyway. "They will have no choice. We will draw up the treaties and sign the documents with all our names in the House when we announce Kemet's allying itself with Atlantis. We will celebrate both with Timaeus and Yugi's wedding."

She thought it over. All but the wedding satisfied her. The girl in her, the one who had once been younger than Yugi was now, sympathized with her youngest siblings feelings of betrayal and his desire to rile against it, but the woman in her, the one who'd inherited a mother's wisdom and knowledge, knew the traits needed for a good husband and a loving marriage. Such affairs were commonly arranged and always by mothers. Having held their children to their breasts at birth, reared them as they grew, and scolded them when they misbehaved, it was they that knew them well beyond their inexperience and youth knew themselves. How could they _not_ offer their wisdom and experience in such an important and life-changing decision?

She may not have been Yugi's mother, but it was she who caught him when Sekhmet's cult of midwives surrounded her father's second wife and demanded her assistance. It was she, who held him as an infant when Isetemkheb had been called away, she who chased him through the gardens as a toddler, and snapped at him when he behaved badly: Isetemkheb trusted no one else. She had not given birth to him but he was as close to being her first child as if she had.

"We'll need to time to organize it, write the documents and plan the wedding, and we'll need time for it to…" she paused, "Leek to the public. Let the rumors circulate. By the time of the ceremony comes the courtship, betrothal and wedding will be as good as fact."

"Agreed," Pas said. "If all goes well it'll be within a ten-day. Our war will be over, our country will have peace, and Yugi will be safely married to a handsome husband out of Kemet."

"Married, yes," Mut said with a chuckle. "As for safely, well that remains to be said." He knew it was not _Yugi's_ safety she meant. He offered an open palm and she accepted.

They turned to the King of Atlantis and the Knight who proposed the plot to explain their plan.

X X X

Only when they were alone did the King expel a heavy sigh of remorse. "When I warned you that our objective was to protect out alliance this is not what I had in mind," he said with a hint of bitterness.

"Perhaps not," Timaeus said coolly. "But it is done and I do not regret it." He spun to his King and his eyes softened. "I know you well, My Lord. And I am confident enough that had we agreed to send him back with the Priests in exile, you would never be the same and neither would I."

The King's eyes spoke what his words could not.

"I promised to protect our alliance and I will do it with honor."

"Always with honor," Dartz shook his head with the smallest of smiles. "You truly embody your namesake." His fingers wove through his forelock, and then he controlled himself. "But you are right. I do prefer our alliance come without such a sacrifice," his eyes narrowed. "But I also know _you_ well enough that you would never marry for politics. You made _that_ clear many times."

There was a visible flinch in Timaeus brow. He made no effort to feign ignorance, "No, that wasn't why. I would never have asked if it was."

"You fancy him," Dartz said matter-of-factly. "You've fancied him since that first day on _the Eye_." Timaeus shot up with wide eyes. He opened his mouth but Dartz raised a hand and his protests silenced. "There's no need. I am no longer young, but experience has taught me to recognize the signs. I also know you are not the saucy lad you were when you first came to Atlantis, but your heart has always been free and your affairs short." He scrutinized with a paternal chide. "So what makes this child so different?"

"He's hardly a child," Timaeus challenged, but Dartz was unamused. Timaeus exhaled through his nose. "I want to protect him," was all he said. He looked away with a worldly frown. "I can't explain it. Everything about him tempts me, but it's more than that. I always feel compelled to stay by his side, but not just to keep him safe but to see him smile."

Dartz listened intently. "How long have you felt this way?"

"Perhaps…" Timaeus pondered. "Since the day he attacked me in Mut's shrine. Everything about him intrigued me: his beauty, his spirit, his wildness. When we first spoke on the ship, I wanted to protect him, but the spitfire wouldn't let me, but that only intrigued me more. I wanted him to trust me and I wanted to know more about him beyond the fire. What I found only intrigues me more."

He heard the King give a frustrated sigh, and thought he heard a muffled curse on his breath, but when he looked up he smiled. "I see, and you're certain it was not guilt that compelled you? A penance of some sort?"

Timaeus shook his head. "I thought it might be, but I realized long ago it wasn't," As he spoke the words grew more grave and more passionate. "I want him by my side; I want to _be_ by his side. Even if he hates me now, if I can make him smile even once more, that's all I care for."

He thought he heard the King utter another curse, but when he looked up again he was smiling. "I see." He nodded. "Good, I'd be disappointed if it was anything less."

Timaeus caught the tint of sharpness in his voice. "Are you angry that I didn't choose her?"

Dartz face became indifferent. He closed his eyes only once. "No, I had hoped in time your heart would change, but I reconciled myself with the fact that it never would. Can you blame me for hoping? I love her, and you are like a son to me. I wanted you both to be happy."

"I only ever wanted happiness for her too," Timaeus admitted with a regretful frown. "I do love her—"

"But not the way she wanted you to," Dartz cut him off. "Not the way she loved you. "

Timaeus shook his head. The King only gave an acknowledging nod. "It would've driven a wedge between you," he said. "You would've been a good husband to her. I know that well, but that fact would always remain. She did not think it would but I did. I've seen it often. It would've broken her heart every day to know how much she loved and seeing you, through no fault of your own nor hers, simply could not. It would have brought her only misery."

Timaeus stared at him in surprise. The King caught his gaze and chuckled. "Oh wipe away that face, lad. I was young and foolish once. Now I am old, and experience has brought me wisdom. I love her well, and I love you too, but I knew the risks had I proposed a betrothal. Why do you think I never did?"

"Because you would never disinherit her?" Timaeus said, but it lacked the confidence the argument once had. "Not when she'd make a spectacular Queen and my heart belongs to Locri."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. I still think you would've made a wonderful heir," the King praised then sighed again. "But alas, that is the curse of Lord and Kings I suppose. Our hearts forever belong to the lands we rule," Then he smirked. "But," he said mischievously. "Our _souls_ they say, if we are patient and wise, belong not to our lands or fortunes, but to our _wives_."

Timaeus sucked in a breath and was about to ask him what he meant, but The Per-a'ah and Great Wife turned to them, and before he could speak, they began to propose their plan.

"You're certain it's wise to keep the priest in such a position of power?" Dartz questioned, respectfully.

Pas met his friend's concern with a knowing but confident smile. "He will answer to Mut. I will head the State and she will head the House as his equal. There will be balance between them and hopefully our next generation will bring a stable peace."

Dartz nodded but said nothing.

"On to the second matter," Pas said flatly and spun to Timaeus. His face was a hard, neutral mask that betrayed no emotion. "You are serious in your proposal to my brother."

Timaeus did not flinch. It was not a question.

Then the Per-a'ah asked "How is marriage conducted in your culture, Lord Timaeus?"

Timaeus looked puzzled then pondered his answer. As a country devoted to the life, marriage and triumph of its Goddess from simple, sheltered maid, to a champion queen of a forgotten land and beloved of its King, many of Locri's customs and traditions regarding matrimony were deprived in spirit as well as ceremony from the exact myths. It would take too long to explain it all in details.

So he said simply. "In the shortest explanation, the two families of the bride and bridegroom create and sign a marriage contract negotiating the dowries and inheritance of both parties. The groom then physically spirits the bride away from her home and literally carries her to the house they will be sharing together. A celebratory feast is held where the groom bestows his bride with gifts to symbolize his undying love and loyalty. After such ceremonies are concluded, the marriage is consummated. A more festive celebration and secondary marriage ceremony is done six months later in the Temple of the Goddess, mimicking her reunion with her husband and symbolizing the couple's success in overcoming the first hurdles of marriage."

Pas nodded. "Is there a civil ceremony? Any details where the documents are signed?"

Timaeus shook his head. "It varies on class and wealth. A common couple will have the documents signed in the home of the bride and the groom simply carries her through town. A wealthier groom might use a chariot. The only true ceremony is the second marriage held in the Temple of the Goddess, the High Priestess conducts the union, and the two renew their vows and then consummate their marriage a second time in the temple."

Pas nodded. "Kemet has similar customs, marriage occurring when two parties set up a home together, marriage contracts are drawn depending on class and a celebration follows. However, this will be a royal affair and it will need to be public. For Yugi's sake."

"Perhaps a compromise," Mut stepped forward with a feline grin. "We will draw up the contracts and have it signed in the House of Amun at dusk. Yugi will be brought in all his formal attire and Pas will sign the contract in his place. The celebration will be held at night. We will conclude negotiations first at noon, have Menkheperre and Maatkare act as witnesses and at dawn they will return to the temple, and you will bring Yugi to Atlantis. Then in six months' time, we will sail to your city for the secondary ceremony. We will celebrate in both fashions and keep to the traditions of both countries a ceremony to reflect the marriage and the alliance."

Dartz perked up immediately. "Excellent, Great Lady." He nearly clapped with glee. "Your wisdom of diplomacy knows no bound."

Mut smirked. "Marriage _is_ women's expertise," she bragged.

"Unfortunately," it was Timaeus who spoke. "There _is_ still the issue of _convincing_ the bride." Timaeus chose his words carefully and his fingers wove into his bangs. "He's made it clear he doubts my noble intentions, or perhaps despises the idea because of them. I cannot fault him for either."

Before he could say anything else, the Royal Wife swooped like a bird diving though hair and clapped his hands in hers. The action surprised him but no more than the tender confidence in her eyes. "Do not fret, my friend. I have spoken to my brother, and I know he cares for you, and I can see clearly you care for him." Even Timaeus' strict training could not stop the pale pink dusting his cheeks.

Mut smiled, and then frowned. "But right now, he's angry as well as frightened. Yugi covets freedom and love. If he sees this marriage the way a bird sees a cage then he will rile against it, but if he sees it as a chance to have an adventure, to see the world and explore new things, to have power and duties in his own right, then he will see what we have done, we have not done solely for his safety but for his happiness as well."

Her words were gentle, like twinkling bells and flooded Timaeus with a relief he had not felt since the first time he and Yugi spoke on common ground. He appreciated her kindness, but also understood the warning in them as well. His little gem had been caged and forced his whole life. Timaeus was someone he had confided in, and now most likely believed it a rouse, and his guardian simply another who'd forced themselves into Yugi's life to make demands of him. He would have to re-earn Yugi's acceptance and his trust. Just as Yugi would have to learn his many masks and create his own, to listen and learn, and most of all to trust his husband and understand his secrets. It would be difficult, he'd known that, but not impossible. He'd seen it in Yugi's eyes: the attraction, the longing, the thirst for adventure as well as passion.

It was still there. He just had to show Yugi that.

"My lady, Perhaps if I spoke to him—" Timaeus offered but Mut dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"No, I will speak to him," She said solemn but determined. "I am his sister. He will listen to me." she smiled at him. "I trust you, Lord Timaeus, I know you care for him, but Yugi is young and fragile. He does not give his trust easy and is even less with his heart. He'll need a gentle awakening."

Timaeus grinned. "You have my word, my Lady."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was Timaeus' focused so next chap will be Yugi. I had a lot of fun with Pas and Mut this chapter too! I love how she is just so natural to write! The scene with Timaeus and Dartz was actually and addition that I felt needed to be added but since I couldnt fit it into the coming chap, I decided it was best here. Hope it gives come insight to Timaeus' feelings for Yugi and Dartz about the relationship...especially if you recall their earlier conversation on the boat ;)
> 
> HISTORICAL NOTE: Despite Ancient Egypt's fascination with religion in all aspects of its life, marriage is the one that it doesn't play a role at all. Marriage was simply when two parties set up a home or moved in together, and a marriage contract was signed to negotiate the inheritance, ownership and properties of both in case of divorce (and by that logic, the Ancient Egyptians seemed to have invented modern relationships: including moving in together and the pre-nup)
> 
> Marriages WERE often arranged BUT unique to Egypt it was the mother who had the primary role in deciding who married who and usually the two parties would have a female go-between when they courted, and the man would use a female go-between to ask the mother for permission. Fathers were involved of course, but primarily it was mothers, sisters and aunts who negotiated marriage contracts and decided spouces. Now, anyone whi knows me knows i'm a FIRM believer in true love and love in marriages and that arranged marriages ONLY work if love is a factor, and though i STILL believe that my research has given me a lot more objective insight into the subject. I mean kids are young and stupid (and marriage age in those days was usually between 14 and 15 for girls and 17-19 for boys (so they could have a trade) and even NOW a days our first loves are hardly our first and we STILL look to our friends, family and parents when we choose our spouces, so it honestly makes sense that parents and family, particularly mothers and aunts, who raised you, knows your personality (better than you know yourself) and has experience and knowledge of the subject would offer their wisdom and guidance in something as important and permanent as choosing a spouse. Though divorce was easy in Egypt it wasn't common, and love poetry between couples shows that love was a huge factor and marriage so the theory is why parents selected betrothals by the time the two were actually married, both parties would've courted and eventually fallen in love...In this case, since Yugi's parents are dead Mut is the go-between in the terms of Yugi's marriage, so its HER Timaeus needs approval from.
> 
> I did research on royal marriages as well, and there isn't much of a different from common marriages other than the bride being brought to the palace and being presented to the people and the marriage contract possible being signed in the Temple of the Gods (which were usually conjoined with palaces anyway) so basically the same ritual just a little fancier.
> 
> As always, comment, critique, review, ask questions, rant and go nuts!
> 
> Next Time: Yugi enters self-imposed isolation. Mut comes to offer her wisdom. And the cold hard facts of marriage make Yugi question everything he knows.


	26. Persuasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi enters self-imposed isolation. Mut comes to offer her wisdom. And the cold hard facts of marriage make Yugi question everything he knows.

_Chapter XXVI: Persuasion_

Yugi ran until he was exhausted. Too exhausted even to cry. He robotically found his room and collapsed in one of the chairs. He didn't bother with the bed or the blankets. Food had been left on the table: a combination of fresh, juicy pomegranates, dates glazed with sweet-smelling honey, and two separate plates of Nile carp lathered in butter and seasoned with his favorite combination of spices. The scent of them filled his nostrils and adrenaline forced him up. He scowled at the meal and enraged with a sudden strength, scattered it and across the floor with a single swipe of his arm. The table crashed, chair fell over and plates landed in thick, clay pieces.

His strength drained, he dragged himself to the coach and collapsed, sobbing in an expensive pillow.

The servants, wisely, left him alone.

X X X

His sleep had been short and uneasy. He'd awoken, not even an hour later to footsteps crossing the threshold to his private chambers. He pushed his face deeper into the pillow "Go away!" He commanded in a scratchy, hissing voice rough from screaming and crying, "I don't want to see anyone! Least of all you!"

The answer was a giggle like a string of bells. "Not even me, habibi?"

He sat up and spun to her and watched as Mut approached him carefully. She sat on the end of the coach, her arms opened but never once moving to embrace him. He threw himself into her arms and let her warm arms encircle his back. His cheeks were wet and raw with tears, his eyes puffy and red from crying, his limbs felt heavy and weak, but in Mut's arms he found sanctuary.

"Yugi?" she said softly, almost apologetically. Yugi pulled away and found her eyes clouded with worry and her pretty mouth was a small frown.

Dread seeped into his heart and it sank into his stomach. "No…"his voice was a broken whisper and he backed away from her. "No…Mut…you can't be…please, tell me you aren't considering this?" He pleaded desperately. "Please…" _Don't make me marry him._

She closed her eyes and breathed. Her mouth set in a small frown. His heart sank further. When she spoke, her voice was even and steep. "I approve of his proposal. He'll make a fine husband." She said with conclusion.

Yugi stumbled backwards and backed away from her. "You…approve?" He gasped, horrified. "We're speaking of marriage, Mut, _my_ marriage to…" He couldn't finish the sentence. Couldn't say his name. Like the silence somehow made it less real.

"Yes," Mut spoke, her voice scolding. "It is not your responsibility to negotiate your own marriage. It is the duty of mothers and sisters and aunts, and for fathers to approve. Kin, who know you well, and know what you need in a husband. It _is_ time you were married, habibi," she said gently with her voice steady. "You are young, Yugi. You are upset and angry now, but I also know you have thought of this before. We've spoke often of it, and I remember it well." Her tone was even and patient. "Look me in the eye and tell me you haven't thought of it?"

He wanted to protest it. He opened his mouth to do so, but the sharpness in her eyes made his shoulders shake and the words died in his throat. The worst part was, he _had_ thought of it. Had he not imagined it just that morning? Imagined the House of Amun decked in all its finery, his father's statue shining in its resplendent prime? His sister reading the chants honoring Mut and Amun, and Pas drawing up the contract with King Dartz as a witness?

Timaeus at the end of the chapel waiting for him…and the two of them together pressing their signatures permanently into the stone. Hadn't he imagined them on the helm of that magnificent ship, Kemet at their backs and the vast open sea before them? All those possibilities and hopeful dreams?

His eyes lowered and he turned his head, his mouth was set in a frown but he made no effort to verbally protest. He collapsed in a chair. His heavy head flopped into his hands with the tips of his fingers massaging his temples. "I can't do this, Mut," he said shakily. "I can't."

Mut stood and placed her warm hands on the backs of his shoulders. He made no effort to stop her.

"Nothing would please me more to see you wedded to a kind man who would love and honor you well and make you happy." Her words were soft but her eyes were sharp. "He's very fond of you, Yugi, I've seen it in his eyes," She paused then added with a firm smile. "I know you liked him. You like him still. I see it growing every day. Don't even try and deny it."

"But, I am _not_ a prize." Yugi spun to her and snapped. So quick and fierce, that Mut whirled back in surprise. Yugi made no effort to apologize. "I'm not some helpless child he needs to shelter and protect, and I'm not some living treaty he can claim and barter and I'm not some glittering chit he can spoil and please with pretty things and kisses." He stopped himself and calmed his mind.

"Well," Mut said with a sly chuckle. Her words were sweet. "If you like him well enough to kiss him then you like him well enough to marry him."

Yugi gawked at her: eyes wide with shock.

"Tis, no secret," Mut said with a chuckle. Her smile curled smooth and catlike.

He expelled a heavy sigh and looked away unable to face her. "What you want…what you all want isn't a marriage. It's a business arrangement."

"I don't understand," Mut sat down, bewildered.

Yugi accepted her hands on his shrugged shoulders. "I'll solidify our precious treaty with Atlantis, Pas will rule the Delta and you'll rule the desert by ruling Menkheperre and in exchange Timaeus will whisk me away to Locri. I will become his consort and perform my duty of running his household without otherwise interfering in his life and he will give me his titles and pay for my gowns,"

"And make love to you," Mut said with a sly smile. He knew she meant it as a joke but not that the idea was in his head… "I _know_ you've thought of that."

Unable to voice his shame, he bowed his burning face and nodded. It mortified him to admit it. Oh Ra, making love with Timaeus? How often had he thought about _that_? Wondered what it would be like? He was certainly handsome. He had the traits Yugi had wanted in a lover. Just the memory of his searing kisses left his face burning. This morning the idea had thrilled him but now…it terrified him.

Yugi could _never_ resist him. How often had those searing kissed left him burning and wanting more? How often had Timaeus' blunt teasing and honest compliments set a fire under his skin? How easily had the Trierarch's brutal teasing baited him into a challenge? How blindly had he fallen for the man's every trap? Timaeus was a master of seduction: he was charming and he wielded it with skillful ease and deadly sharpness of his sword. But he was chivalrous too: never had he forced Yugi to do anything he hasn't wanted to. He was kind too. And patient. And he was honest: secretive and honest.

And protective…if he was being honest. His earliest memory of the man was the green shadow who rescued him in Mut's temple. Then his memories of their journey returned and he found himself categorizing them between the Fierce Knight who promised him protection and declared himself Yugi's Guardian when they returned to Kemet, and the proud and playful rouge that teased and flirted with him openly as long as Yugi played along. That was all it was, he realized, with a heavy weight of dread in his heart: protection and seduction. Fondness, born of duty and lust. The more he thought of it, the more he lifted the dreamy-eyed veil of his memories, the heavier his heart felt.

That wasn't what he wanted. That wasn't love. "I don't want that kind of marriage."

"I don't understand?" Mut asked, deep with concern.

"That's all our relationship is: fondness. It isn't love that makes him want to marry me, its duty…duty and lust. I don't want a marriage like that," he admitted voice rising with breaking volume.

"It doesn't have to be, Yugi," Mut mollified. "We have all had repercussions about facing betrothal. I did."

Yugi started at her shocked.

"Yes, little one I did. We both feared our love was nothing more than fondness. We were afraid to think anything else. Betrothal gave us the freedom to try."

"But Pas _chose_ you," Yugi protested. "He had many sisters but it was _you_ he chose."

"It was duty and fondness that made him chose me, not love," Mut admitted. "It may be duty that compelled Timaeus to propose, but I trust your 'fondness' enough that had it happened any other way, you would have no objections." The steadiness in her voice returned. Her smile was that of a scolding mother. "Marriage is a duty, Yugi, not a right. We do not marry for pleasure, but for quality to wed is a burden; to bear children is a burden, to hold power over any sphere of influence is a burden. The _duty_ of marriage is to _ease_ that burden."

She slid across the couch closer to him. Her smile was fierce with delight, even if he only gave her a glance "That does not mean we cannot bring pleasure into our marriages. Men need to appear strong for their houses. They keep their hearts secret rather than admit to another holding power over them. When they are alone with us, it is the only time their hearts are open. _We_ are their secret keepers. It is not the wedding that brings love Yugi, it is the wedding _night._ They give us love, and we give them trust. Love is not just a show for the people; it is the secret to the most successful marriages."

He pondered her words but his mouth remained a firm line. Trust and Love. Hadn't that been what he'd wanted? Hadn't he'd prayed for that that morning the day his life changed, and again when he asked Sekhmet for a savior and sent him his emerald shadow as a protector… but that was a mask drawn from anger and betrayal. He categorized them all in his head: his fierce captor who saved him from flinging himself over the side of _The Eye_ , the Trierarch who commanded his ship and crew with merciless honor, the Knight who promised him protection before his King gave the order, the Trickster who'd kissed him in front of his siblings and their council and called him fiancé, and the one who teased him mercilessly and set his blood ablaze with searing kisses. But what of the man who'd listened to his history and held him as he cried? And what of the one who asked him about his dreams and kissed him tenderly at Mut's Sacred Pool?

He'd never organized their past encounters before, but flooded by the chaotic memories, it hit him, suddenly, how little he knew of Timaeus and how much of him of what he did was an invention. Timaeus was a man of masks and rumors and buried secrets. Secrets he would not share, not even with Yugi. How many secrets had he entrusted to Timaeus in the short time they'd known each other? If he was to marry a man like that, could he trust him? How could he, when he didn't know who was the man and who was the mask?

At his silence, Mut sighed and smiled again. "You are fortunate to have a man who already pleases you, do not throw the happiness you could have with him away simply out of pride, habibi."

He stood quickly, his form rigid and his eyes sharp. "I am so tired of everyone telling me how 'fortunate' I am to have my decisions made for me! Telling me they know what will make me happy! Menkheperre and Maatkare said it. Timaeus said it," He hisses, his fingers writhing, "And now _you_ are saying it? Does my own happiness truly matter so little to you!"

"Of course it doesn't," Mut said quick and sharp. "The only thing we want is to see you happy."

Yugi rolled his eyes saying nothing.

"It is the truth, whether you believe it to be or not," she rose suddenly and took graceful steps towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Yugi blinked in surprise.

"I've said my share. Whatever happens next is for you to decide. I will leave you to rest now. Tomorrow, when your head is clear, think it over again." She stopped in the doorway. With a heavy sigh she turned to him and said with regal gentleness "I suggest you get yourself used to the idea." She left without another word.

Enraged and still writhing, Yugi flung himself onto his bed and screamed into his pillows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, this chapter and last chapter were going to be one chapter, but I decided to split them to keep the focus between the two. I'm very interested too see all of your responses now that you got both sides. Yugi's gone to full-brat mode, Timaeus is trying to hold it together, and none of this is how either of them wanted things to go, and everyone else is doing the heavy lifting. Bet none of you saw this coming!
> 
> 1) Again, remember we CANNOT look at arranged marriages in the past with modern eyes (the idea of people choosing their own marriage partners based purely on love is really a modern invention, and by modern i mean the 60s onward) granted it DID happen annd often parties DID have choice and chose their partners, but family approval, was CRUCIAL and depending on the culture, in ancient times parents negotiated or approved of wedded unions, but then again since people married in their early to mid teens in those days and as well all know teen marriages and first loves HARDLY last, how could parents NOT offer their wisdom and judgement in making such an important decision, and at the end of the day ALL parents in ancient times simple want their children to have a happy life and a good marriage.
> 
> 2) The involvement of woman in marriages depending on culture, while it was always fathers who had to APPROVE of the union and set the date, it was woman who chose and recommended the suitors and chaperoned events in the ancient world. Many times, queens, concubines, mothers, older sisters, aunts, all of them would offer their feedback to a girl of age on what she'd want to look for in a spouse. All dad had to do was give away the bride...not much has changed in that regard.
> 
> 3) Fondness and duty were pretty much the pre-recs for marriage. Marriages was meant to be a LASTING union, not like today where one-fight and couples divorce. Their ideal was rather than the honey-moon phase to the hot and steamy period to the best friend stage wen it cools down, they wanted the Best friend (someone you love spending all your time with) going in and then the hot and steamy phase intermingled as you went: so marriage was basically going into the marriage you wanted fondness, love was meant to happen during the wedding night and then continually grow from there. Not so much a "learn to love" deal but rather a "emotion that continue to grow" kind of thing.
> 
> 4) Pinedjam I had nine children four of which (including Mutnejdmet and Maatkare) were girls. Mutnedjmet was the oldest daughter and Psuennes I was the oldest son but it is unknown what the order or the age difference between them is since record of their birth dates are kind of scattered.
> 
> Hope that offers some clarity.
> 
> Next Time: The oblivious citizens prepare for a Royal Wedding. Meanwhile, Yugi has gone into isolation, Timaeus hopes to smooth things over, and the Royals have a plan for a happy ending neither the bride nor the groom is gonna like.


	27. Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The oblivious citizens prepare for a Royal Wedding. Meanwhile, Yugi has gone into isolation, Timaeus hopes to smooth things over, and the Royals have a plan for a happy ending neither the bride nor the groom is gonna like.

* * *

_Chapter XXVII: Ceremony_

Mut did not come to visit him again the next morning. Nor the morning after that. Yugi just stayed in his room and mostly slept. His sleep had been mercifully peaceful. The shock and stress of those few hours had left his mind numb and his body week. So he slept until it all felt like nothing but a distant shadow in his memory.

On the third morning, Mut came again. Her entrance was soft and barely breached the fog of his senses. He pulled his head free from the mess of pillows to the sound of something clicking on the table, and the smell of pomegranates.

He entered the room in a mess. His hair in tangles, his shoulders set in a stubborn shrug and the previous day's shenti creased with sleep. He didn't bother changing and he didn't look at her while he devoured the food.

She didn't speak until his belly was full and he was grateful she didn't.

"We've settled the negotiations," she said at last, swiftly and formally and with none of her tenderness. "They will conclude publicly within the next tenday. The Atlantians will return home the following morning."

 _So soon_. He was tempted to ask, but decided against it. He wouldn't let her trap him.

"The King cannot stay away from his country any longer," she explained anyway. "And the Knights must return to their duty as Generals." She waited for a reaction from him. When none came she added. "A ruler can't afford to be away from his lands longer than a month, the return journey alone will take nearly a tenday."

Still Yugi said nothing.

"Haven't you always wanted to see the ocean?" she asked with a kind smile. The seeds lodged in Yugi's throat and he coughed several times to clear his throat.

"Not enough to get married," Yugi grumbled and shoved the plate away and left to change.

"I hope you don't expect to hide here until they leave, Ujalah," she said with a hint of disappointment. There was no response. She gave a heavy sigh. "Are you going to dislike me now as well?"

Yugi froze and dropped his clothes. The hurt in her voice filled him with shame. He bowed his head, too ashamed to face her. "I could never dislike you, Mut." His shoulder shook and his voice was cracking. "It's the whole situation I dislike," The words were muffled and chocked. He made no effort to hide his tears. "I hate being forced into this…it doesn't matter who it's too or whatever the reason behind it…I hate being forced into this."

He felt her hands on his shoulders and her warm hugged him from behind. Her steps so gentle and phantasm he hadn't heard her move. "But it doesn't _have_ to be," she assured him, tightening the embrace. "Do you love him?"

"I…" he didn't want to answer, but found he couldn't lie to her. "I…thought…maybe I did." His fingers wove into her arms and he hugged her back. "Maybe I still do…"

"Then that's more than enough," Mut mollified, but Yugi shook his head.

"It'll never be enough, Mut." He said stubborn. "I don't a marriage full of secrets and conveniences. "

Mut released him with a heavy sigh. "No one goes to their marriage bed without their secrets or their conveniences. The goal is to become worthy of those secrets." She trailed off as she approached the door. She pulled something from outside and set it down near the lion-bodied table by the door and left without another word.

He didn't watch her leave. His gaze fell lazily on the object she left behind. He approached it with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. It smelt rich and earthy, with a faint chalky stench. It was small and medium-sized and rectangular-shaped with a flat, removable top on four tall legs. A box? He dropped to his knees to examine it. Tentative fingers ran along the smoothed violet faience panels. Clasps of gold bordered the panel, but the sanded smoothness confirmed the box was a single, carved slab. The long sides bore ornamentation of faience river lotus in curling gold vines flanking either side of a gold cartouche. His name and the blossoms, the color in his beloved Egyptian blue. The lid was a single violet circle with a scaled blue lotus but its heart was an amethyst faience knob.

Without thinking, Yugi lifted it. Inside the beautiful treasure, a single piece of papyrus sat peacefully on the polished cedar. It uncurled in his hand, wanting to be read. The thick Coptic letters read: _Because things should be memorable in some way, and should have a place to keep them._

The note slipped from his shaking fingers and back into, what he now realized was a hope chest. A dowry box crafted specifically to him. Each carving memorable, every detail carefully chosen and catered just for him. It was a wedding gift, and it wasn't from Mut.

X X X

Timaeus wrung his fingers as he paced.

With the tenday halfway gone and the stele freshly carved, the citizens had spread the announcement faster than any Royal Decree. Temple servants prepared the rituals and polished the House with furious haste. Contracts were quickly drawn and negotiated. Treaties were being rewritten and signed. All important documents were copied and etched into more permanent stone with papyrus copies for the ceremonies. Cargo holds were quickly stocked with donated crates of smoked meats and barrels of water. Citizens flocked the temples with offerings and hymns, and prayed to anamorphic totems of local deities: the disturbing rumors quickly forgotten in the excitement and splendor of preparing for a Royal Wedding, even if it was only a night. Only a week ago they'd scoffed and sneered at their young prince ready to curse him and brand him a traitor. Now that the "truth" was known they swallowed their shame, bowed their heads in apology to their gods and clamored to be part of the splendor.

It never failed to disturb him: how quickly the public's love could turn to hate and then back again like it was all some silly children's game. Then again, their impression was that the jealous younger prince had plotted to overthrow their beloved Per-a'ah and enlisted the House of Amun and himself to do it. It spoke of their love in a way, that they would hate any who sought to remove him. And perhaps the revelation that it was not betrayal but an engagement that fostered such secret affairs between him and one who held such power in another country appealed to their love both romantically and loyalty than believing that the House of Amun would even commit such treachery.

Timaeus shook his head in disgust. An angry fist slammed against the bell-shaped pillars. His knuckles came away bruised and bloody, and the other rubbed his face.

It wasn't how he wanted his wedding ceremony to be. It wasn't the smiling ceremony promising a happy union between not only two countries but two lost kindred spirits. It wasn't how he imagined he and Yugi sailing around the world before giving him the grand tour of Locri he promised. He could live without the courtship, the formal betrothal, the maids and servants and happy family in attendance, only the bride's absence would be what really mattered.

Yugi had taken up to hiding in the Sacred Pool behind the Per-a'ah's chambers the rest of the tenday. Timaeus continued to bring him meals but his former charge, if he was ever in the room, refused to acknowledge him. Though he had little doubt the gem knew who it was that visited when he left with the clicking of metal shoes. But Yugi did not call out to him and neither did Timaeus. The bride remained determined not to take part in his own act.

The solution had been his King's idea, ironically enough, if the Great Lady of Two Lands was unable to mollify the young prince. It was quiet common among their foreign cousins when travel interfered with Royal marriages or treaties required a spare sibling to fill the role of the absent or deceased. It made Timaeus sick to think of it.

 _She_ would've been furious at such a union—raved at him like she did when he first came to the Atlantis court covered in dirt and snapping at anything with the stupid sense to look at him wrong. And then _she_ would pat his head like he were still a child, smile and remind him to honor his consort, treat him well and show his lover it was not a silly union of connivance. Show that his feelings were genuine and see the first months of their marriage as a trial to overcome their differences and grievances. After all had the goddess not done the same thing? And had her living husband not embraced her openly and kissed her lips when she was returned to him in the fall and had she not returned that warm embrace to the shock of all who never believed The Lord of Dark could love so truly not the perpetual maiden so fiercely?

He knew she would be right. He just hoped in six months time their second wedding would be one full of smiles. With _both_ the bride and groom waiting in attendance.

X X X

By the end of the tenday, Yugi still hadn't left his room, and Timaeus, outside the occasional meal left on the table, had not come to see him, either. The absence had both relieved and disappointed him and left him more confused than before. He'd been grateful for the time alone to think and process. Yet he felt hurt Timaeus had not come to speak to him, to explain, to comfort him like he usually did. He knew who it was spying him in the Sacred Pool through the windows in his room. He knew who it was leaving his meals and departing in silence with only the clicking echo of metal shoes. But he never said a word…and Yugi never called out to him. Yugi wondered if he even cared to.

He expelled a sigh, inhaling the aroma of palm and lotus blossoms, but even they did little to ease his troubled thoughts. He waited and watched, as the dancing blossoms absorbed the last of Ra's life-giving rays then curled back into their secure ponds and sank beneath the waters. When he was young his mother always told him we are all like the lotus. Born in the darkness and reaching, struggling to find the light, but we always do and once we do then we reveal our true hearts. He'd never questioned it. Never needed to. But looking at them now, watching them sink and pondering the metaphor, he wondered, if that were true, why did the lotus always sink? Why did they retract from the light, hide their hearts and sink back into the darkness? Perhaps, we _were_ all looking for the light, and once we found it, it revealed out true hearts, but only until we learned it was safer in the darkness. Safer to hide our secret hearts so they wouldn't get picked and broken, and the pieces scattered like plucked flower petals.

He stayed to watch them until Ra had slunk behind the pillars, casting the garden in shadows. Numbly, he dragged his heavy body back to his room. The earthy aroma of boiled vegetables and rich herbs assaulted his senses when he entered. A small, single bowl of deep, muddy brown stew, thick with sliced onions and chopped leaks sat patiently next to a single piece of barely bread. Steam pooled over the sides like a mist of the Nile. The smell churned his nervous stomach. Nausea filled his mouth with the raw, polluted taste of bile. He ignored the meal and slunk to his bed.

The chest glittered on his night stand like a hopeful blue star. Weakly, Yugi pulled it to his chest. One _remen_ across and half a _djeser_ deep, it fit perfectly in his arms. His collection of treasures: his own personal dowry of secrets and dreams, clicked softly within like a non-rhythmic heartbeat. It didn't include the silver decorations his brother's reign was famous for. Or the fine jewels passed down from his ancestors. They weren't his to take or keep. It made him laugh, almost. How little he owned was actually his. No, this chest contained his own secret heart buried within the jeweled lotus. He wondered if Timaeus had it decorated specifically for that purpose.

Thinking of his suitor—and possible fiancé—he clenched the box tighter. Remembering how those strong arms had held him once and how that embrace had felt more real than the throne of Kemet. Wondering what it would be like to have those arms around him every night, and that powerful body on top of his. Kissing him senseless and filling him with dreams. And wondering if he'd survive the morning if all he found beside him was a cold bed sheet. Shivering, he pulled the claustrophobic furs around him and let the stiff linens absorb his heat. Slumping lazily onto the pillows, the box still in his arms, he fell asleep feeling butterfly kisses and the warm breath of gentle words over his skin. Like a lotus, he let himself curl into a pod and sink into a darkness he hoped to never awake from.

X X X

The morning was not so kind.

He awoke to the pounding of impatient footsteps. "Yugi! Are you awake?" His mind barely made out the muffled questions, and he buried his head deeper under the furs. His responded with a sloppy chorus of groans.

The Lady of Two Lands swooped to the sleeping chamber. "Yugi, wake up" She shook the bundle impatiently. Yugi burrowed deeper into the blankets. "Oh! Up child!" Mut scolded and slapped his leg. Yugi woke with a startled yelp. He glared at her, half-lazy and semi-alert. He tried to bury deeper into his cave, but she ripped away the blankets "None of that now!" she snapped with matronly stern, so loud and rough that he dragged himself to his feet.

She rolled her eyes at his aggravated glare, spun him around to face the baths. "Make haste," "She sent him off with a rough shove and he nearly stumbled over his feet. "And hurry, you are to meet us in the House of Amun as soon as you are presentable."

He skimmed them with a bored expression. Then he returned his gaze to her and arched a brow. Her lovely face contorted into a frustrated snort. "Go! Go! Go!" She shooed behind him. "Now's not the time for ill tempers."

She spun to the maids: two of them had just finished drawing water. Two more stood in attendance, one holding vials of oil, another carried armfuls of soft linen. More flocked about her cautiously, carrying kilts and tunics of all styles and samples of precious jewels and platters of pasty pigments. The Great Lady examined them all with a scrutinizing gaze. She approved some with a nod a dismissed others with a wave of her hand. "Shoo, all of you!" She barked and the maids scattered.

She turned to Yugi, who'd yet to move. Her mouth set in a royal frown and her eyes punishingly sharp. "Into the bath before I throw you in." She warned dangerous and low. "The Lord Dartz has volunteered his Knights to escort you. I'd prefer it if you didn't keep them waiting."

Yugi shuffled to the bath, and stripped his clothes with a rebellious stomp. The maids were upon him when he reached the water. "What is all this!" Yugi demanded, punishing the girls with slaps of water.

Mut spun to him, her face set in frustrated frown and her shaking hand restrained a slap. "You need not be present for your marriage, but it would please _me_ to see you treat this with at least a little of the respect it deserves," she warned lowly.

The maids returned with a wrapped bundle in her arms. Mut snatched it from her hands and scattered it across the bed. A small smile slit her face. "Well, well," she said with purposeful volume. "It seems your fiancé has sent you another gift. I think it will fit the day's events accordingly."

She left the room with a final word and her smile pierced Yugi with its gaze. "All will be well, child. I promise you."

He started at the door with vacant bewilderment. His mind half-drunk and fogged from sleep, he barely registered her irate muttering, but he recognized the seriousness in her tone. He must've forgotten something truly important to have made her so frantic.

He put up no further protests as the maids scrubbed him down, tied back his hair and adorned him with lotus scents. They'd dried him in expensive linen and decorated his eyes with coals and rubbed his chest and wrists in sharp-smelling balm. One brought him a pair of soft linen sandals apologizing she couldn't locate his oxen ones. He'd dismissed them with a frustrated snap, and they left him alone to dress.

He ran a hand through his wet bangs dampening it with raindrops. Strutting naked across the bed, he cautiously examined Mut's choice of attire and froze. The tunic was unlike any he'd ever seen. Cut in two pieces, the long kilt was of a familiar black linen, silky under his fingers and shot through with shiny gold threads. In addition, a slender white belt, brocaded in the same gold and black threads went around his waist and clasped in the front with gold. The tunic was a long and made of both black silk and white linen, but had been decorated with the same gold and black brocade along the chest hem to match the first. Cut to expose the shoulders, it had an additional gold neck-piece. It wasn't until he saw the back tied up like a bodice with silver ribbons that he recognized why it was so familiar.

The note explained it: _I know you dislike woman's clothes, but I hoped these familiar garments would bring you comfort. They always looked lovely on you._

His fingers ran over the garment, brushing silky black linen, rough white cotton and cool gold beads. The same ones Timaeus said were too lovely to cut up, even when Yugi raged like a child about looking like a woman. His cheeks burned at the memory. His gaze fell back to the box. This time he slipped the box open and pulled it into his lap. He slipped off the linen shoes and replaced them with his beloved oxen white sandals. He'd been correct; he realized when he examined himself, fully dressed in the copper mirror. The oxen sandals matched Timaeus' gift much better.

Gift. He reprocessed the word then he rolled his eyes. The man probably thought it was sweet gesture, but that did little to mask what Yugi knew it was: another wedding gift. Another thing. And Yugi refused to be bought.

His door rattled under the force of an impatiently heavy knock. Yugi jumped his musings forgotten.

"Prince Ujalah," The tile came out in a forced hiss. His name uttered like a curse. Yugi spun from the mirror and gasped at the two armored guards standing in the threshold of his chamber. Both glad in full bodied Atlantian armor: one a deep burgundy like dried blood, the other navy like the darkness of Nut.

He knew them immediately as Critias and Hermos. Timaeus' comrades and fellow Dragon Knights though on Timaeus, as leader claimed the title of General. He'd only glimpsed them the few times they'd met but looking at them now, Hermos' usually indifferent expression curled downward in apologetic but powerless obedience. Critias made no effort to conceal his distain. His face fixated on Yugi with an almost gleeful scowl.

Yugi decided he didn't like. He rose to his full height and dignified his steps.

"Yes, Lord Critias," he spoke the title the same way Critias had. "I am Prince of this nation and you'd do well to remember it," he stomped by, but froze when the Knight snatched his arm. "I'd watch my tongue child," Critias spat. "I don't care if your absence will not affect the ceremony, but _I,_ for one will not have our General shamed by a child." He breached edict and glared. Hermos swooped forward and grabbed his hand and gave a small squeeze. Critias released him as if in pain and ripped away, but it was clear that it was Hermos who released him. The man said nothing then turned to the prince with a bow.

"This way your highness." It was the first time Yugi had heard him speak. "They're waiting for you."

Yugi stormed forward. Discomfort hastening his steps, determined to put distance between himself and his escorts. The temple's entrance was on the far side of the Pet- ah's onions chamber, but you couldn't fathom the reason why they be holding a Royal ceremony so early. There were no such scheduled events that he knew of except of course for the daily greeting of Amun, but that ritualistically occurred only at dawn, and estimating Ra's position in the sky, dawn had occurred much earlier.

His thoughts wondered to his escorts. Critias' sudden rage had come as a shock to him as well as Hermos break in indifference. He didn't know either of them well, so all of this bewildered him. What he had done to address a such treatment? It couldn't be because he and their General had been fighting. Surely it couldn't?

They reached the Great God's House faster than he expected. He barely remembered passing the North Gate. His gaze met that of Amun's incarnate. He stared down at him with almost sympathy glittering in his stone eyes, and his escorts standing on either side of the entrance. Yugi entered the forecourt and stepped into an odd scene: the small gathering consisted of the Per-a'ah, The Royal Wife, King Dartz, and The Divine Servant and Adoratrice cluttered around the alter at the chief God's feet.

His sister stood at Amun's altar, her lovely form completely draped in semi-transparent linens that clung to her frame and winged her arms like fine silks, her dark hair crowned in Mut's vulture headdress and golden jewelry of Amun crowned her arms, wrists and throat. Pas, transformed in silvery and finery into the legendary Per'a'ah, stood on the left front. His shoulder's squared his jaw tight and his eyes unreadable, Yugi thought he looked in every inch the Living Horus. King Dartz, donning Atlantian robes and fine jewels, stood behind him, his crown bowed, and making no move to surpass the Lord of Kemet. Opposite them on the altar's opposing side, to Yugi's great surprise, stood Menkheperre and Maatkare. Washed, shaved, fed, and dressed in the finest linens and papyrus sandals: they looked their respective roles, yet their shoulders slumped and faces were grim. Neither made an effort to dignify their posture.

Scattered around them were the hem-netjer and servants from Waset's table, those who served his eldest sister stood intermingled with those that served his younger senior siblings, with no visual signs of animosity between them.

Their gazes fell on Yugi when he entered. Spotlighted, he froze. Pas' expression did not change. Mut only offered him a shadow of a smile. Dartz did not look at him, but for a single instant, Yugi swore he'd saw something in Menk and Maat. Something that made him call them by their childhood names and filled his heart with regret, before it quickly faded. Maat turned away to cry and Menk's face looked nothing like the commanding madman Yugi had grown to despise.

Mut continued her chant: listing titles with great zeal. Pas rose his hand heavenward and pulled a ring free from one of his hands, dabbed it with something "Akheperre Setepenamun Son of Ra Psuennes I." He said his throne name and pressed it hard onto the table.

Mut spoke again, this time addressing the Divine Servant and Adoratrice. She continued to lists Amun's other names and titles and that of their ancestors dating back to the first of their dynasty and beyond to their first of their legacy. When she finished, Menk removed a similar ring from his own finger with sluggish compliance and gently stamped it. "First Prophet of Amun at Waset." he stated his new reflection of his curtailed power, flat and robotically. Maat dried her tears and did the same. She said nothing.

Mut gathered the parchment and raised it to the sky. "It is done! The Treaty and Terms between The Living Horus, Esu-bity, Son of Ra, and The First Prophet of Amun, Hem-Netjer of his Great House in Waset before our Great Witness, his Royal Eminence, King of Atlantis and his Holy Dragon Knights, our beloved Ujalah, son of his Great Majesty Divine Servant Hem-netjer of Amun and Son of Ra Pindejem I and his Lady Wife Singer of Amun and Priestess of his Consort as both the Heavenly Lady Mut and the Avenging Mistress Sekhment, Isetemkheb and all before Amun within his House, is now in affect!" The words echoed with power, severity and finality.

It was then Yugi understood his sibling's faces. The looks on their faces: sheer and absolute defeat.

Two servants shot forward each bronzed slabs on pillow and bowed as Mut came around the altar. "Take this back to the palace. Take one copy into the House's archives, the second will go to Waset and be placed in the Great King's true house." They bowed and obeyed. A third servant took the scroll and held it up in grand presentation and carried it through the walls. The room cheered and followed without orders, leaving their Per'a'ah and Great Lady within the walls. Yugi could hear the cheers and echoes outside the pylon.

The public had already arrived to witness the spectacle: the Per'a'ah, The Royal Wife and Second Prophet of Amun, the Divine Servant and the Divine Adoratrice and all their council and attendance gathered in one room, in agreement with one of the most powerful and feared names in the known world on peaceful terms. The signing of the documents had simply been a formality.

They emptied the House leaving only the Royal Family and their Atlantian guests. Menk released an exasperated sigh and dropped his arms. Maat dropped like a mourner but quickly composed herself and to Yugi's surprise she spoke "If it's all the same, sister," she said absent of malice. "Our brother and I would prefer to wait in the First Court while you and our great friend conclude your…" she paused and looked in Dartz' direction then her gaze fell on Yugi. "Business." The sympathy in her eyes shocked and surprised him.

Mut and Pas bowed, and Maat dragged Menk to his feet and guided him through the Pylon gates to join the celebrating crowd. They didn't look at Yugi. "Be well, child." Maat whispered. "Whatever you feel for us now, always remember we loved you."

Warning drums pounded in Yugi's chest. The words struck like a painless slap. He spun to them but he barely caught a glimpse of them before the two Knights parted to let them pass. Confusion and uncertainty spiraled in his stomach into knots and he spun to the others for clarity—and heard the familiar clicking of metal shoes.

He witnessed Mut placing another parchment on the table, Pas spun to the other side and Dartz stepped back. Timaeus, who'd attempted to remain hidden until that moment, stepped forward. Yugi saw the skeleton of regret on his face. Then he rose stone-faced: the man he once imagined himself loving gone and the General, the Trierarch, the man he feared was Timaeus' real face, stepped forward.

Mut began the chant, confused Yugi marched forward but Dartz blocked him with an arm. "Stay child," he mollified. "It'll be over soon."

Yugi blinked, he looked to Timaeus and Pas, watched as Pas once more removed his ring and pressed it to paper. His eyes expanded and horror and he sucked in a long breath, filling his body with the ghost of despair, when he finally recognized Mut's chant.

"No!" He chocked the words. Mut paused but then continued. It was Pas who spoke. "Be easy, child it's almost over."

"No," Yugi shook his head and backed away from Dartz when he tried to catch him. "No, No. No…please…" _Not like this_ he pleaded to every deity who'd listen. His eyes flew to Timaeus. Desperate, pleading amethyst bore urgently into a deep, singular emerald full of dying hope. Timaeus' face fell: his mouth was a small frown, his eyes soft and rueful and his chin bowed. It was the face of a lost man

The last of Yugi's hope died. He turned pleadingly to his sister. "Please, I don't want this…"

"That's not what you told me," Mut paused then continued. "It's almost over," she assured and concluded the chant.

 _No…_ Yugi backed away in horror: his heels spun to turn, his limbs were light and ready to flee. One more step and he'd break into a run.

"Don't think of it," Critias hissed in his ear. "I won't have you embarrass our General further."

 _Further_ , he'd said, like his mere presence was an embarrassment already.

Yugi wanted to scream. He wrenched himself away from the man and spun to the company. His eyes wild and his shoulders squared with defiance. "I won't sign it," he bit low and harsh.

It didn't have the desire affect. "It's already done," Mut said simply: matter-of-fact. She acknowledged Timaeus with a nod. With one last look to Yugi, he sighed, removed something from around his neck and pressed his signature to the parchment. Mut and Pas shared a look and at once Yugi understood.

His head dropped, his fingers curled and he visibly shook. "Is _this_ what thought I wanted?" He accused, sharp and biting.

The worst part was that some secret part of him, so secret he had even kept it from him, _did_ want this. How many times had he thought of it while he was in Timaeus' care? Wondered what it would be like each and every time Mut teased him with the idea. It was as he'd always imagined it: with Timaeus, his knight, his emerald shadow standing on the dais; Mut zealously negotiating the contract the way she would a sacred chant, Pas in all his finery and the Atlantian King standing on either side in attendance. All of it done within the House of Amun with his God and ancestors bearing witness. It was all he'd ever wanted…and it was all a charade.

A sinister pleasure filled him when he saw them shake. "A proxy arranged and agreed without my consent? Without asking me!?" He shot to Timaeus when he said it. "And what am I? Nothing but a bystander? Not important enough to partake in my own ceremony?"

"Be grateful you were chosen!" Critias barked, enraged.

"Critias…" Dartz hissed, warningly.

"Enough!" Timaeus' command echoed low and harsh. With a sweep of his hand, the papyrus contract was signed. The event concluded. He turned from the altar and strode towards Yugi. His hallowed eyes intimidated Yugi more than powerful frame encased in his emerald armor ever could.

He backed away with a shiver of apprehension. His eyes darted for safety but Timaeus' fixed him with a thunderous gaze and paralyzed him there. He shook, wanting to run, but his feet wouldn't move. Timaeus was upon him in a single step, his full height towering over Yugi and he stepped back to quickly, nearly, stumbling. Timaeus snatched his arms.

Yugi stared back frozen, waiting. Then Timaeus' eyes softened and he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Yugi's frozen lips. Yugi gasped but couldn't pull away. The kiss wasn't hard or domineering like their first kiss, it was soft like their second but instead of the promising passion was the mournful hint of apology.

Timaeus pulled away. There was auditable click and something cold and heavy fell on Yugi's bare wrist. He gasped and looked down. A bracelet encircled his wrist like a shackle, but it was beautiful with a lovely amethyst oval surrounded by purple lotus, crafted in the style of Egyptian wedding jewelry. It was a tradition native to the west, adapted in the later dynasties to reflect loving unity.

Loving unity. Yugi's heart sank. Everything his marriage was not.

"Proxy or not, you are now my consort," Timaeus whispered in his ear.

The words sank in Yugi's stomach like a stone. His mind spiraled and he felt his knees weakening, but Timaeus caught him and scooped him into his arms.

"We shall depart for Atlantis at dawn, but tonight we shall rest and celebrate." With that he left the House of Amun, Yugi still in his arms. He clung to his chest, feeling cloth under armor and flesh under cloth. Realization claws at his chest like poisoned knives.

"No…" He choked a whisper and blinked back tears. If Timaeus heard him he gave no notice, and Yugi didn't dare look at him. Cold claws prickled his spine with each pylon they passed.

All around them Kemet celebrated: Singers chanted love songs and dancers spun in wild spins. Citizens cheers and wished them well. Soldiers clicked mugs and gulped beer. In their drunken stupor soldiers and men alike flashed perverted comments, while girls gossiped and 'ooed' like concubines. It was an open secret and they parted ways for the happy couple as if to be a part of it.

 _The Eye of Timaeus_ loomed closer, beckoning them with a private, secret place to "conclude" their nuptials. Yugi's stomach churned with despair when he realized there was no escape. His wedding night would indeed be a consummation of joy and pleasure. But none of it would be his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Queen slouches on her throne, Kuriboh in her lap and downs a gin and tonic surrounded by her K-T Kuriboh body guards) It's good to be the Queen...
> 
> Glossary of Terms:
> 
> Remen—Ancient Egyptian unit of measurement, 5 palms or 20 fingers; about 15 inches.
> 
> Djser—Ancient Egyptian unit of measurement, 4 palms, 16 fingers, about 1 foot (half would be about six inches.
> 
> Egyptian blue: a calcium copper silicate pigment used by the Ancient Egyptians in a variety of clothing, ornaments and decoration to mimic the semi-precious stones of lapis lazuli. Both the color and the stone were held in high-regard and valued by the Ancient Egyptians for their rarity and stark blue color (blue being a heavenly color in Ancient Egypt). It was also the color of the beloved river lotus or blue lotus and was used in a variety of media and Egyptian art. In this case, Timaeus uses it to mimic Yugi's beloved blue lotus for decorative purpose.
> 
> Hope Chest: also known as a dowry box, cedar box etc. Although not cultural until the 17 or 1800s, the Ancient Egyptians DID have lots of ornament boxes and chests, preferably made from cedar (which was imported) because its smell kept away insects and it was less prone to rotting. They used these boxes to store their favorite jewelry and important documents and their personal effects such as linens. In later years, they were use as gifts for new brides: while preparing for her wedding she would keep her personal mementos and things she wanted to take with her to her new home. I found them while researching Ancient Egyptian boxes and thought it fit the situation and the Atlantis marriage custom I created ^^
> 
> History Note: While the events in this fiction are purely fictional: in actual history, the real Menkheperre had his power curtailed with his brother becoming Per-a'ah and thought he did rule on as defacto ruler of the desert, he took as his throne name First Prophet of Amun, a title used by his grandfather, in order to reflect this diminished status. Maatkare would also take one of Psusennes and Mutnedjmet's daughters as her apprentice who would eventually become God's Wife of Amun during the reign of her brother Psusennes II.
> 
> Now for those of you who want to kill me right now or kill Timaeus, you might not see his POv next chapter but who will the one after that ;) my goal is to get the next tree chaps done this weekend since I'll be on a mini-vacation in Florida ;)
> 
> NEXT TIME: Timaeus and Yugi's last night in Egypt. END OF PART ONE


	28. Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Timaeus and Yugi's first night together. End of Part One.

_Chapter XXVI: Departure_

Yugi buried his face in Timaeus' chest and tried not to sob. Crying wouldn't save him and a fit would do nothing for his pride, but he felt the thick beads of frustration and shock sliding down his cheeks. He pressed himself deeper into Timaeus arms and angrily wiped them away with his sleeve. He'd be in Ammut's belly before he let Timaeus see him cry again.

The ground shifted beneath him and he felt Timaeus lift him higher into his arms. Instinctively, Yugi squeaked and wrapped his arms around Timaeus' neck. Briefly, Yugi saw his gaze, stone-faced and hallowed-eyes. Yugi's heart dropped. The cloud of grief evaporated into anger and the anger provided clarity. Revealed was the terrible, heartbreaking truth that came with it: it was a merger, a charade, a treaty, practical and convenient and everything he feared.

It hurt. More than Yugi cares to admit it, it hurt. It hurt to even think about it, and when he did remembered how his stupid self-looked at the memory chest gift and the clothes he wore and thought maybe, just maybe, Timaeus did care for him as more than a charge to protect. The one who walked gullibly into the House that morning believing when Mut said everything would be alright and thought she was going to spare him this fate. He wanted to take that stupid, naive child so full of romantic dreams so vain and juvenile they made him want to weep and shake him before he fell.

And fell he had. How could he not? Timaeus wasn't some fat, seasoned old man beyond his promise and ready to settle in dry men laid one. No, he was handsome. Undeniably so. Handsome and vivacious and no doubt seasoned in strength as well as passion. And he was kind, a rare trait in any man. He was charming, but manipulatively so. He had been gracious and understanding during their journey. He'd encouraged his sharp tongue rather than scolded it, delighted in his rebellion instead of punishing him like a prisoner. More than once, Yugi could imagine himself as Timaeus' husband. Kindness and charm were Timaeus' weapons and he wielded them with perfect cunning. He'd _known_ that and yet he still allowed himself to dream, to hope that his promises weren't just pretty words. He'd paid for his blind foolishness. Timaeus' cold indifference when he'd pressed his name to their marriage contract had been proof of that.

The floorboards creaked under Timaeus metal shoes. The sound shook him awake and alert. They were on the ship now, The Eye of Timaeus, the emerald draconic vessel named after its fearless and ferocious ruler. The ship where they'd first spoke, first talked, first kissed and first slept. It suddenly dawned on him it would soon be their First Night. His heart leapt with excitement, then shame, then dread.

There would be no escaping it. It would happen and he couldn't stop it. Timaeus was a warrior, fearsome as he was in his armor, he boasted a warrior's body: powerfully built, perfectly sculpted, flawlessly strong and ripped with the scars of victorious battles. Those frightening muscles that had held him so tenderly would easily subdue him. Any physical protest would be dealt with the effort of swiping away a fly and would only make things worse for his physical person as well as his soul. Worse of all, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

The only hope for dignity was to not fall like some slave girl into his arms. But was it even possible? Timaeus wasn't some obese, drunken oaf. He was young and handsome with the lascivious vivacity of a man in his prime. The scarred sun-kissed skin and sculpted muscles terrified and captivated him. How many times had he fallen into those strong arms? How often had those fierce kisses left him breathless and wanting more? Perhaps it would damage his pride less if Timaeus was some elderly veteran. But no, Timaeus was alluring and he knew how to weaponize it. Just one night in his bed would be more dangerous than a thousand nights of shame. How many rouge kisses and uninvited thrusts would it take before he broke? How long would his pride last before he gave in? Perhaps it would be easier to lie still and spread his legs like a good little whore.

No, he decided. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of his pleasure. He would do this with dignity and not let Timaeus control him.

Suddenly the doors swung open with a loud thud and Yugi found himself once more in the Trierarch's quarters. Yugi grimaced when Timaeus closed it behind him with his foot. He approached the bed and Yugi clung tighter to him, then let go when Timaeus set him down, disgusted he'd clung to him like a scared child.

His body sank into the mattress, the feathery softness overwhelming compared to the linen mats he was used to. Scrambling to sit up, he watched Timaeus turn around and remove his armor piece by piece: each metallic clank was the echo of a death march, but he refused to shiver. The armored belt was last leaving him in only his under-armor. It did nothing to conceal him. He set it down on top of the pile in the corner, then pressed his hands to his desk and expelled a heavy sigh.

"Yugi…" The tone was deep and apologetic.

Despite himself, Yugi visibly stiffened. _This is_ _it_. He resolved himself. _I can do this the easy way or the hard way_ , he stiffened his spine. _I won't be some sniveling whelp._ He squared his shoulder and let all his anger and betrayal bleed into his gaze "Well, aren't you going to bed your _bride_?" He spat.

Timaeus spun slowly. He matched Yugi's expression with an unreadable gaze. Then he smiled, small and diffident, and stepped slowly towards him.

Yugi shivered: his resolve breaking. He stopped at the end of the bed and sat down. His lips an odd mix between a smile and a frown, and his dull gaze captured Yugi's. "S-S-Stop it," Yugi back peddled away and berated himself for stuttering. _Stop looking at me like that…_

__

Timaeus didn't stop. He swooped forward and gently grabbed Yugi's arms. Yugi opened his mouth to scream, then felt the strong arms he'd once adored wrapped around him. Too stunned to react, Yugi let Timaeus hold him. His forehead pressed in the crease of Yugi's shoulder, an arm wrapped securely around his waist, the other stroking his back.

"No," was the single syllable, strong, decisive and powerful. "I have no intention of consummating our union," He soothed, low and mollifying. Timaeus' fingers wove into Yugi's hair and massaged his scalp, and though it burned Yugi to admit it, he found it comforting.

Then he took Yugi by his shoulders and locked Yugi's gaze with his own: a grave, searing emerald magnified by the severity of his scar. No matter how much he wanted to, Yugi couldn't look away. "Not, until we've returned to my home in Locri," Timaeus added, "And then only after I restore the trust you once had in me."

The words were so earnest and sorrowed, his eyes so desperate and willing that Yugi could bare it no longer. His shaking hands wove in his hair and he screamed. His anger, grief and frustration poured down his face in thick beads of moisture and he flung himself at his husband. Whether to attack him or embrace him, Yugi didn't know. He collapsed in his lap and Timaeus caught him and held him tight.

"I hate you!" Yugi screamed, his tiny fists beating the man's chest in robotic rage. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" He screamed it, convincing the heavens but not himself.

Timaeus only held him tighter until he exhausted himself and collapsed silently crying. "That is alright, sweet one _._ " He soothed, rubbing Yugi's back until he collapsed into sleep.

X X X

Timaeus held Yugi the rest of the evening. The young man's sleep was ironically peaceful, and Timaeus was glad of that. He deserved some rest and time to recover from his distress. It was rightly earned. Timaeus sighed, exhaustively and rocked his sleeping spouse gently. The day's events weighted heavily on his mind and the stress left his throat suffocatingly tight, like anchors dragging him beneath the sea.

It had hardly been the happy send-off either of them had imagined and held none of the affection they'd shared that special day at Mut's sacred pool. That soft single act had been so full of hope and affection, even Timaeus dared to believe it was love if such a thing could exist so suddenly. It made him wonder if his past experience had simply been the idealistic dreams of a young lad naïve of true commitment. Perhaps he had been. Perhaps he still was. It wouldn't be the first time his mistook devotion for love, but somehow the thought never entertained him with Yugi. The youth had intrigued him since they met: feisty, fiery and hardly helpless, he painted the perfect picture of a bratty noble child, one who'd been raised in prestige and knew well how to use it and believed himself arrogantly powerful because of it. But there was passion in his words, and caution in his movements, and it quickly became clear, Yugi was not some spoiled, selfish royal, but a survivor who'd been knocked down by life early in his youth and had climbed his way back up himself. It was something Timaeus admired, and saw himself in.

Perhaps that had been the first moment Timaeus had thought of him as more than a charge, but a kindred spirit. He had spent so much of his life keeping his heart a secret that it almost surprised him just how much of it he'd revealed to Yugi. How simple it had been, how unrestrained, and even more just how much Yugi _realized_ he was telling. No one before had picked out the pieces of his past so understandably. Not even Rebecca, though she, he knew, kept her silence out of respect. Everyone else no doubt enjoyed the mystery of him more than the truth. The _man_ would only sully the mystery. Yugi didn't care for the mystery. He'd never asked him directly or indirect, and yet Timaeus had hinted. Never once had Timaeus elaborated and yet Yugi had understood, and Timaeus dabbled in the hope that perhaps Yugi trusted him as well. A part of him must have, to have confided in him the way he had on the _Eye_ , the way he had at Mut's pool? It made him hopeful that perhaps, just maybe, Yugi would trust him when Timaeus proposed the way he did.

Timaeus sighed again. Carefully, he laid Yugi down on the mattress, pulled his mantle off the table and wrapped it up to Yugi's shoulders. He collapsed on the end of the bed, his head falling into his hands. It was a testament to his resolve that he'd completed the ceremony without swaying. Yugi's horror-stuck face alone had nearly shattered it. His wet eyes had nearly been enough for Timaeus to cancel the whole event, but by then it was too late.

It seemed so idealistic now. To ask someone he'd only met a month before such a thing, when he'd barely even begun to court him. As much as he'd hoped Yugi's faith in him would understand, he'd been prepared when it hadn't. But how could he not? When Yugi had fallen to his knees and cried so desperately for his help. Timaeus had made a promise that day, and he was determined to keep it. He didn't regret his decision. The manner in which it was carried out, perhaps. It wasn't how he imagined they'd sail off together, and he knew it was never how Yugi imagined they'd be. But not his choice or the actions that followed. Yugi's heart had been broken too many times, his dreams ignored and sacrificed for too long, he deserved a house and a home, a name and a family, and Timaeus was selfish enough to hope and want that to be _his_ home.

He could easily imagine himself waking to Yugi's smiling face each morning and holding him in his arms every night. Envision them ruling Locri together each time Yugi's eyes widened with delight when he spoke of his home. Imagined the prosperous world they could create together with Yugi running his house. The places they'd see and explore, the children they'd raise. It filled his heart with so many joyous hopes he dared believe they might someday be real.

A bitter chuckle slipped through the crack of his smile. Now, in the most twisted and corrupted sense, they _were_ real. It had happened the way he'd always imagined it would. Yugi entering the Temple to his own deity, the Royal Wife reading the chants, the Per-a'ah and his own King standing in acknowledgement and himself waiting at the altar for his little one to add his name to their written vows: it happened exactly as it was supposed to and it had all been wrong.

Of course, Yugi was enraged by it and petrified when he could do nothing to stop it. Thought Timaeus knew well it was more the unfairness of it all: of his proposal, of Yugi's own lack of involvement and he was right. It wasn't fair.

His heart felt heavy with sorrow and regret. He'd wanted so much to chase after Yugi when he'd run. Wanted so much to hold him and explain, but the unselfish part of himself reminded him to heed the Royal Wife's words. Remind him that Yugi was angry and upset and needed time to adjust and to trust the boy's sister to speak with him. Perhaps she had hoped just as he that being Yugi's oldest confident she could mollify his rage and help see beyond his pride, but they'd expected the moment he'd stubbornly locked himself in his rooms and pretend all he had to do was wait and it would all go away. They had planned the wedding in case of it, but he never thought they'd expected it. It had enraged Timaeus when they informed him of his plan, but he was merely a Knight against three Royals, one of whom was a Royal woman of whom marriage was her place and duty. Grooms had no place in the ceremonial details, but it still enraged him, even as he hoped once again Yugi trusted him enough to understand without Timaeus telling him, like he had before.

He released another dark chuckle. He'd should've known better than to ask so much of Yugi, who at best believed their union simply a duty-bound obligation of convenience, and his proposal done not out of love but simply Timaeus' fulfilling his honor by protecting an innocent. He wasn't wrong, but there was far more to his motives than that, and he had every intention of reassuring his charge he intended to keep each of his promises: those born of duty and those born of affection.

Yugi stirred awake with a small sound and Timaeus, spun to him. He made no move to hinder or promote his wakefulness and simply let Yugi's perception return naturally. Yugi rubbed his eyes and felt his forehead. His eyes widened when he looked down and his fingers spidered and creaked his clothes like they were swatting away insects. He spun to Timaeus who only offered him a small smile.

"You're awake," he said low and soft.

Yugi glared at him and backed away. His fingered checked his clothing again but the ribbons were still tight, the clasps of his belt were still locked. He looked at Timaeus confused then his eyes sharpened with alert.

"Well," His voice was more confused than bitter. "Aren't you going to finish the wedding?" He asked, voice rough with expectation and disgust. He knew what Yugi meant.

Timaeus arched his brow, skeptical and bewildered then he said "Do you want me to?" It was an honest, earnest question.

Yugi stared at him then looks away with a frown. "No."

"Then no, I will not."

"Why not!?" Yugi demanded more bewildered than angry. "Why should it matter what I want? It didn't before so why now? Why don't you just take what you want for me and get it over with? So we can both stop pretending this is something it isn't!"

Timaeus looked at him enraged. He shot forward but made no move to grab him; instead he glared directly into Yugi's eyes, emerald green and angry red slit sharpened with gross offense.

"Is that truly what you think of me?" He demanded, sharp and hurt. "Do you really think so little of me that you believe I would marry you just to bed you? And if you didn't want me then I would take you against your will? That I would _rape_ you!?" he said the word with such violent disgust like he was uttering the worst of all religious curses.

Yugi shrank under his gaze, but it wasn't fear Timaeus read in his eyes. "Did I not make my opinions on the issue clear when I executed my men who _dared_ attack you? Have I not treated you with the utmost chivalry while you were under my care? Have I not stated clearly that I value honor above all else, both my own and yours? Do you truly think so little of me that at the first test of loyalty you believe I would dare commit such a sin when it would defy not only my county and kingsmen, but my very character?"

"I don't know!" Yugi screamed and finally forced himself to look away. Hot tears filled his eyes but he angrily shook them away. The more from shame than anything else and he was done being scared and ashamed. "I don't know anymore..." He admitted soft and broken.

Timaeus backed away and cursed himself in a vigorous sigh. "I don't want to yell at you," he apologized. "I hoped that we could talk."

"Talk?" Yugi asked surprised then restrained it.

"About our relationship," he slid closer but stopped when Yugi fidgeted once then remained stoic. "I know you are upset with me, or rather you are upset with our situation. I cannot fault you for your anger." He stopped, waiting for a reaction. Yugi didn't speak or make eye contact. Timaeus slipped closer and ducked to meet his eyes. Yugi automatically looked to the side, not ready to face him.

"However," he said so softly that Yugi was taken aback by the shock of it. "I do not want this to ruin our bond, not when it has only just begun," he said with a purposeful pause to smile. Yugi shivered again, absent any fear this time. Timaeus continued. "The vows cannot be undone and I wouldn't undo them even if I wanted to. To do so would shame you and defy my honor. I refuse to do either and while I _do_ regret the circumstances of our arrangement, I do _not_ regret my decision to marry you."

It was the first time Yugi turned to look at him. His brows were sharp and diagonal, toughening his eyes and frown but they flickered with something bright and pale blue. Timaeus knew immediately that it was hope. With a small smile, he gently moved his fingers to brush Yugi's hand. The fingers curled on reflex but Yugi didn't pull away. Timaeus smiled. It was a small comfort, but a progression nonetheless.

"Whatever you think of me now, sweet one…" He spun to face Yugi with his whole body and leaned forward to cup Yugi's frozen cheek. His eyes were dark, liquid and so penetrating that Yugi despaired. "I _do_ care deeply for you. I won't force you to accept this, nor do I intend to but I do hope in time you'll make peace with our circumstances. I promise you, our marriage will not be a loveless one." They were so full of desperation and hope. They moved closer, his lips a small frown and for an instant Yugi thought he was going to kiss him. What else could Yugi do but surrender and fall like he'd done so many times before.

But it never came. Instead, Timaeus' sad frown and penetrating eyes remained in place. He made no effort to move closer or pull away, but his eyes glittered with the barest flicker of hope that Yugi would accept him—and give them a chance.

With the greatest strength his body and spirit could muster Yugi pulled his cheek away, but only managed a simple turn. Timaeus' response was a sad frown and pressed a gently kiss to Yugi's hair. "Fear not, sweet one," he purred, giving Yugi's hand a small squeeze. "However long it takes me, I will do whatever I must to make you happy."

Timaeus removed himself from the bed and Yugi expelled a heavy, silent sigh of lost breath. His body felt heavy and light at once and his mind scrambled to make sense of it. He watched Timaeus open the wardrobe with absent-minded eyes then sucked in a breath when Timaeus tugged the flexible fabric and slid it easily off his shoulders.

His face alit with a heated flush. His eyes should've looked away but instead they widened. It struck him then that he'd never seen Timaeus' bare skin. The other had always been carefully clothed in his presence, never donning less than his under-armor and though it did nothing to hide his warrior's body it revealed nothing of his skin. Now, as the armor slid down his arms, his chest, his hips: it was all exposed to him.

He covered his mouth to keep from gasping and alert the other he was watching. Hills and valleys of aged, cut muscles were marked by the scars, telling the story of his life in vivid detail. Long clean cuts, jagged burst punctures, and hideously curved slashes some pale, some darker discolored the sandy skin of his back, a few speckled his arms, Yugi wondered if there were more on his front. Each one carried an intimidating and fascinating story that almost made him want to magically kiss them away like a fairy tale and yet another part of him found them intriguing and almost striking. Yet something was off about them, even the darkest ones were paled with age and none of them looked fresh like they'd had decades to heal.

He hadn't realized how long he'd been staring until he heard the cloth hit the floor. To his terrible disappointment and overwhelming relief, Timaeus wore something underneath. It was an odd garment, it reminded him of the light shenti he slept in, but the bottom was tightly closed like a short pair of pants tightly sculpting his thighs and pelvis and made of a light silken material, which exposed nothing. Nothing _visible_ , he realized.

"Would you like something?" Yugi gasped when Timaeus spun and asked simply.

"What?" Yugi stuttered embarrassed.

Timaeus arched a brow. "Would you like something to sleep in?" he asked gesturing to the wedding outfit he still wore. Another under-armor was thrown over his arm, but it wasn't the heavy loose-fitting material he wore with his armor, it looked lighter and more silken and was light blue.

"I'm fine," Yugi said with a defensive snap. His face flushed and his fingers clung to his garments and his eyes sharp with embarrassment as opposed to distrust.

Timaeus snorted "Fine, but don't complain if you wake up stiff."

Yugi looked down at the outfit he'd worn to his wedding. It'd been cut and fitted from two different out fits he's both worn meant for a woman and yet it had been cut and restyled for an Egyptian prince. "Why did you give me this?" He mumbled unsure if he wanted an answer.

Timaeus, donning the new under-armor and sporting a kind smile, sat on the end of the bed. "They are yours are they not? From your time on the ship? I'd hoped they'd be a more…personal wedding gift." he confessed. Yugi remembered thinking that was a romantic gesture when he wasn't angry, but it still didn't explain why he'd cut them up.

"And I remembered you disliked women's clothing so I had them fitted in the style of a Nomach," Timaeus added nearly reading his mind. Yugi shot up. Timaeus chuckled. "Sadly, my knowledge of Kemetic attire is lacking. I hope the style is to your liking."

"The ribbons aren't very kemetic," he gestures to the bodice-like back. "But it's comfortable otherwise," he admitted then added a semi-reluctant "Thank you."

"Tis the least I can do," Timaeus slowly moved closer. To his relief, Yugi didn't jump away. "I wouldn't be a good husband if I couldn't provide for my lover." He purred warmly.

"But…" Yugi's surprised stutter made him pause "You said I was your consort."

Yugi's eyes rose to meet his and Timaeus froze. Too late he realized he'd said the statement out loud. Then his eyes softened. Yugi had not looked away.

Tenderly he lifted a hand, clear and assuring Yugi it was a gesture of affection. "Yes, you are," he said gently. The fingers curled under Yugi's jaw, his thumb sliding over his cheek. Timaeus said softly, unsure what to add. So he told the truth: "And with that comes all the affection and respect that position deserves, in my business as well as my heart."

Again Yugi wondered if Timaeus would kiss him. And again, Timaeus stopped just short of the act. Relinquishing control to him if only he were willing to accept it. Part of him longed too. Part of him screamed in disgust. The stubborn part of him sneered at the thought of surrender, and the sinister part of him was entertained by the desperate plea. But the secret part of him, the one that still believed in love and hoped so optimistically for the future wanted to trust him. To accept the offer and let them start over and regain what they had before.

But the voice was too deep and its whispers too tiny and it sounded silent under his deafening insecurities whispering unpleasant reminders in his ears. Reminding him he'd seen this mask before, and that it would fade just as the Trierarch and the General faded and the Diplomat and the Guardian did. Their time together had been so short and yet it seemed too long, Timaeus had shared things with him and yet he'd barely told him anything, but he'd listened to Yugi. Or was that, too, a mask? There were so many masks. So many sides to this single personality, it made him wonder who he'd fallen in love with: the man behind the masks, or the mask the man wore only with him? Could he ever _truly_ trust such an uncertainty?

Then suddenly Timaeus pulled away. "That's alright, Yugi." He said with a slow sigh. Yugi blinked and watched Timaeus put out the candles: Amun's journey to the underworld nearly complete.

"I didn't expect you to forgive me immediately." The defeated sadness of the tone suddenly made Yugi angry. Like it was arousing pity.

"Curious, _now_ you ask for forgiveness after ignoring me for nearly a week," he mumbled a snort.

Timaeus paused with a deliberate shiver in his spine. He set the candleholder down with a deliberate thud. "I did _not_ ignore you," Timaeus snapped at the accusation, low and dangerous with rage. "If I recall, I came to see you _every_ morning. _You_ chose not to acknowledge me."

"Then why did you not speak to me!" Yugi accused rolling onto his knees with a sharp glare and a sharper tongue. "You didn't think I knew it was you bringing my meals and leaving me things? Did you hope to buy me?" Yugi bit. It was harsher than he intended but his anger had found him and left venom on his tongue.

"Don't be dense," Timaeus scolded with a sharp eye-roll. "Those were meant to be mementoes. We both know frivolous gifts would not please you."

It was true, Yugi knew, but he wouldn't admit it. Anger had sharpened his pride and it wouldn't be satisfied without the last word. "You still ignored me."

" _That_ -" Timaeus cut him off. "Was out of your respect for your wishes. You were upset and angry, I was merely giving you space. _You_ did it out of spite."

Their eyes locked again. Flaming amethyst and boiling emerald locked in a spiral of anger and hurt and the lust to scold the cause of it by spreading the fire. They waited: neither looked away, neither lessened their glare. Then Timaeus closed his eyes and exhaled sharply, a hand running through his bangs.

Yugi blinked his burning eyes, his pride sedated by bewilderment.

"But perhaps I could've tried harder…"Timaeus admitted with a harsh apology.

Yugi mind exploded. Confusion and shock smashed against his scolded pride and gave way to an angry _How dare he!?_ That boiled like a festering wound then quickly melted into a collective calm. _How can he be so…_ His mind ravaged then spiraled when it couldn't fathom an answer. Sincere? Mature? Apologetic? Controlled? He wasn't sure if it pleased him or angered him more.

"Come," Timaeus said gentler and put out the last candle. Only the moonlight illuminated them now. "It's late and we're both tired. Let us continue this in the morning."

He pulled the covers back and Yugi jumped then quickly scurried to the other side and plopped down, stubbornly facing the wall.

Timaeus exhaled a loud groan. "There's no need for that. I promised you I would not consummate the marriage until we reached Locri."

"Because of tradition," Yugi s muttered the snap

"That is part of it," Timaeus admitted, earnestly. Yugi felt the bed dip under his weight and heard each crunch in the mattress as he moved closer. "And it is my hope that we may use that time to restore our bond before attempting any physical nuptials." Yugi froze when he pulled the covers to Yugi's shoulder. "It will depend entirely on you."

"And what if I don't," Yugi bit his lip and pressed deeper into the mattress, muffling his next words. "What if I never do."

Timaeus' hand came again, this time it gently took Yugi's shoulder and roller him over. Yugi sucked in a breath when he landed on his back, but Timaeus did not move closer, only stared down at him with a single soulful high highlighted by a promising red slit. Yugi stared up at him, not moving. Only watching. Those kind eyes were upon him again and he couldn't stop himself from falling. A secret part of him _wanted_ to fall.

Timaeus bent down leaning closer. Yugi's heart pounded and he closed his eyes waiting for lips to press against his. Instead, the baritone rushed in over his ear with punishing force. "Then I give my word to The One Who Loves Ma'at and Who Detests Evil."

Then Timaeus pulled away and looked Yugi sharply in the eyes. "And I always keep my word." The baritone deepened with harsh gravity.

With that, he pulled the blankets once more to Yugi's shoulders and pulled away. Yugi watched him take his place on the other side of the bed and turn his back to Yugi. Yugi spun around grateful for the darkness hiding his blushing face and the burning in his eyes.

"I still don't trust you," he chocked out, finally.

"I know," Timaeus said with smile but his eyes were sad. "Get some sleep little gem we have a long journey."

X X X

When Yugi awoke the next morning the room somehow seemed bigger: the window suddenly seemed larger absorbing nearly the entire curve of the shift's bow: the glass cleaner and their lights brighter, highlighting its every detail in a morning blush. For the first time he noticed furred carpets scattered across the floor in specific corners, and how plump the couch was, how fluffed the pillows and how skeletal Kemet ones looked by comparison. Just how ornamental the wood of the adjacent desk and chair were and how intricately carved and polished they looked like a comportment of vines curling around a single slab. How the dark wardrobe across the wall was designed in the same pattern and how it made the massive structure seem to climb higher towards the ceiling. Even the dais holding the bed now seemed higher, its furs and blankets softer and the wooden frame of the headboard and canopy more intricate and the canopy he hadn't noticed before seemed to sway independently like it was perpetually trapped in some non-existent wind.

It wasn't as lavish as the adjoining State Room, or as frivolously decorative as some of the grand parlaces and temples he'd seen. It was practical in its furnishing and finished with only the basic necessities, but each object boasted its glory in a display of power without a word of insult. It fit its owner perfectly.

 _Timaeus._ Yugi arose from the blankets half lucid and struggling to chronicle yesterday's chaotic memories. _Timaeus_. And then it came to him with alarming clarity. His heart pounded. His body moved independent of his thought, subconsciously feeling for another body but felt only crisp, still warm sheets.

"Ah good, you're awake." The words were a contralto purr: a low, bass and pleasured echo in his ears.

Yugi followed them reflexively. Timaeus stood in the open doorway Rhebekka on the other side and a tray balanced between them. Yugi nearly jumped. It was first time he'd seen his friend in weeks and he couldn't barely summon the words to speak. Her hair was pinned up, her smock, pristine and polished and flaring at the middle. She gave the Trierarch a look then dropped the plate in his hands. She left without a word.

Timaeus frowned. When the door slammed, he groaned so loudly his posture collapsed under the fatigue. He slouched to the bed and placed the tray on the bedside table. "Iron Lady save me," he muttered an oath and dropped to the bed. "Even my Quartermaster is mad at me."

"Why is she mad at you?" Yugi asked his…his brain paused. His _husband_ Amun the word sounded so foreign.

"The same reason you are I'd imagine," he said with a small smile and worrisome eyes. "Thinks I married you for politics."

"Didn't you?" Yugi accused with an arched brow.

"I don't consider protection politics." He spun to Yugi: a coy smile and only the barest hint of sharpness in his eyes. So sudden was the action Yugi barely has time to gasp let alone jump. He recognized that smile and remembered how many times he'd damned it to hell for making his heart pound. This time it made his heart stop. Yugi forgot to breathe.

Timaeus didn't move, already so dangerously close all he needed to do was lean forward, pressed their lips together and Yugi would be his. Excitement and anticipation arched his spine in a hesitant shiver. Emotions raged in his mind and his heart pounded at a rapid rate. Would he do it? Did Yugi want him to? Was he ready?

Timaeus shifted and Yugi felt the bed dip. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself. And felt only a light peck on the cheek barely touching the corner of his lips.

"You'd best eat and change, sweet one," he purred and slid off the bed to put something from the wardrobe. "It's nearly dawn and we'll be casting off soon. I trust you'll want to say goodbye before we leave."

Yugi barely registered the words, and then nodded.

"I'll be at the helm," Timaeus promised placing something soft in his lap. "You'll want to watch the launch. I think you'll enjoy it." He kissed his forehead then left Yugi alone to change.

Yugi groaned into a collapse. He looked at the garments in his hands: a short-sleeved tunic and shenti with a triangular pattern at the hems and an embroidered belt to go about the waist. Simple but elegant, the way he likes, but styled in the fashion of Kemet's Nomachs. The colors were not Kemetic. It was silver instead of white and the blue stitching was paler than Kemet's beloved lotus blue and interwoven with emerald. Even the belt was emerald green but decorated with blue and silver threads. Atlantian colors, he realized, specifically, Locri's colors.

It struck him then, what their marriage meant. He was the Governor's Consort. He held a position equal to that of Nomach in his county but without the dependence of central government, essentially the co-ruler of a Kingdom within a Kingdom. He'd be co-ruling a new land. He'd need to learn its customs, its rituals, and its laws. He'd need a new wardrobe. He'd need to learn a new language unless Timaeus had made Aramaic mandatory. His Greek was, at best, fractured. He'd need to learn the names of the staff, find out the customs of the household, what his duties would be.

It was all so much to process, but…he paused himself and collected his thoughts. Timaeus had always spoken so fondly of Locri and how loving its people were. It had sounded so beautiful. Timaeus had only been there seven years and considered no other place his home. With a small smile, Yugi wondered, would he be able to call Locri his home as well?

He untied the straps of his wedding frock and let his slip to the floor. He slipped on the clothes and tested them against his skin. Linen. No doubt because they were still in Kemet. What fabrics did Locri favor? He would make sure to ask.

For now all he wanted was to leave the room and get some air. Amun had just emerged over the Nile and already the ship was alive with the sound of crewman preparing for launch. He'd have to move quickly. Fortunately, the state room opened to the deck and the morning sun was not strong enough to blind him.

Soldiers and ship-hands scurried about in the mist, throwing ropes, and hoisting up anchoring stones with only a glance from their Trierarch. Servants lugged barrels of water and mead down into the lower decks with crates of dried meats and fruits. Others carried baskets of linins and herbs to the infirmary; others carried gifts of gold and other treasures to the State Room and shuffled past him with quick bows of respect.

Vaguely, Yugi wondered if the King would be joining them then spotted the beautiful and terrifying _Great Leviathan_ already sailing up the Tatianic creek towards the Manzala. Behind it the wings of _The Fang of Critias_ roared to life, black wings catching the wind and ripping free from the dock with a sharp, angry turn. Yugi did not doubt its captain was at the help. Adjacent _The Eye, The Claw of Hermos,_ already rigged and ready to sail, waited patiently for the waters to clear. It wouldn't do well to have all four ships in the river at once. Even in Abd it wasn't best to chance the Nile. It would take a day at least to reach the ocean and Yugi could appreciate the early start. _The Eye_ would be the last to leave, he realized curiously. He understood why when he stepped into the light and heard a gasp.

He saw them and shivered. Pas and Mut looked nothing like the stoic Per'a'ah and Royal Wife he's seen yesterday. Their shoulders were slouched with strain, their posture weak and the kohl wasn't thick enough to hide the red-rims around their eyes. He wondered if he should embrace them. He'd never hesitated to before.

"Yugi," Mut said softly, her voice hollow with remorse. "We know you're angry with us now. You have every right to be," She bent down to face him her eyes red-rimmed and still wet. "None of us like the circumstances of this matter, but please, my darling, never forget how much we love you." She embraced him quickly then let go before he could debate whether to embrace her back and he was grateful for it.

"All we wish for is your happiness," Pas placed a hand on his shoulder, gone was the Per-a'ah he respected and replaced was the brother he loved. "Be angry with us if it will help you, we won't hold it against you, be angry with the circumstances, heaven knows it pleases none of us, but don't be angry with your husband. He's a good man, I know him well. I've known since the first time Dartz brought him to Kemet and I've seen every time I've met him sense." His voice was deep and assuring, but it was the honest assurance of a third-party observer, not a loving parent soothing their child's fears with false hopes. "He cares for you, you may not see it now, or you may not want to see it, but he does," Pas said in that same deep tone. "He will take care of you."

Yugi hesitated and looked away. He believed that himself once. Now he wondered if it had been just another one of his many masks. A mask for the sole purpose of getting close to him only to discard once he had what he needed.

"How do you know," he choked out the whisper. "How can you be so sure?"

Both of them blinked then smiled. "I wasn't sure of your sister," Pas admitted in a whisper "And she wasn't sure of me. Father wasn't sure of our mother nor was he yours. Marriage is never a certainty: we don't go to it knowing it will all be well. But we go to it knowing that love can be if you make it so. It can be sudden and all at once or it can build slowly, but if there is even the smallest spark then it can grow." He stopped and waited for Yugi to meet his eyes. His smile was kind. "Is there even a small part of you that believes you could love Timaeus?"

Was there? He wanted to say no under the stupidity it might end this whole thing and he would've have to think about it anymore, but both his mind and logic knew that was a lie. The surface part of his heart wanted so desperately to hope, and the secret part of him, the part he hoped to hide away and make invisible under the belief that he could rid himself of it, once more made itself the center of attention and spoke for him. "Yes," he choked before he could silence it.

Pas touched their foreheads together and smiled. "Then that's more than enough."

Yugi jumped away and gasped, unsure whether to be confused or frightened. "But…how…"

"Yugi," Mut mollified. "You'll be alright. An untested love is not a true love. It's what Isetemkheb used to say to me when Pas and I were fighting and I threatened to runaway then go through with my wedding. Love it like the lotus, she said, it is not in our happiest moments we find the one who holds our heart, but the darkest, because if it is the wrong person then we retreat back to the darkness, but if it is the right then together we find our way back to the light. And she was right, every time I thought this fight would be the end of us, Pas and I always resolved our quarrels with words: it only made us stronger."

"You and Timaeus are the same," Pas said reading Yugi's next question before it formed on his lips. "You are stubborn as the best of us, Yugi," he said with pride, "and you're not afraid to use your power. It is why Timaeus is so fond of you: you don't contain his fire or your own, you embrace it, you match it, you challenge it and build it and it burns brighter. I know you don't believe it now, but please, trust us when we say you'll be alright."

"Because you know Timaeus?" Yugi asked with a snort.

"No, little one," Mut said her voice between a scold and a declaration of love. Then he took his face in her hands and said. "Because we know _you_."

He wanted to tell her he didn't understand, but the warmth in her smile made him hopeful. Mut removed something from her robe and Yugi immediately recognized the jeweled lotus pattern against and Egyptian blue background and the Goddess Mut lock.

"The Atlantian custom is for the bride to carry her hope chest home," she explained and waited for him to take the large Glory Box. "But we asked if we could bring it to you."

He took it graciously and opened the lid with a smile. His hopes and treasures rested peacefully inside: precious memories of his home, life and childhood. His own personal dowry. The glory and hope he brought with him for comfort on days he awoke to a cold marriage bed.

"Maat and Menk also wanted you to have those," she said running her fingers over the folded linens. The linens they'd taken and said they'd discarded. His fingers ran over them. That seemed so long ago. The boy he'd been then was a stranger to him now. His choices and decisions that once held all the finality of Fate now felt insignificant and dreamy.

He replaced the lid, closing his secrets inside. His eyes fell on the patterned design of the lid: a beautiful deep lotus blossom the same Egyptian blue as his eyes. The amethyst jewel at its heart: his favorite jewel. His fingers traced the curls of gold lotus vines, the smooth blossoms reminding him of the blooms he loved so much, and how they flaked his name in his beloved Egyptian blue. _Because things should be memorable…_ Timaeus' words returned.

"Thank you," he whispered.

A loud whistle blew followed by the rumbling bellow of "Prepare to cast off."

The elder siblings turned to their youngest and smiled. "It's time we take our leave."

Unable to hold back any longer, Yugi set the box on the floor and wrapped his arms around them in a hug. "I'll miss you," he whispered and for a moment he was a child again, leaving with his mother and not knowing when he'd be back.

"We'll miss you too little one," Mut said with wet eyes and hugged him tight.

Pas rubbed his hair and held his shoulders. "We will see you again," he promised. They pulled away too quickly, and Yugi watched them go with sad eyes. He walked to the edge of the ship, watched as the railing was retracted. The ship locked. Overhead, he watched the sails open with a howl form their Trierarch and his sky became a spiral of green and white wings. The ship gave a sharp jolt and departed the pier with the next gale. The wind at her back and the Nile current pushing her forward, _The Eye_ launched with an elemental roar, Yugi looked below expecting to see the massive oars sticking out and was surprised they were still locked away. The ship flanked right into deeper water, maneuvering itself easily through the narrow banks where a bulkier ship would've struggled.

The excitement of it all made his stomach twist in knots and his heart was torn between exhilaration and gloom. His brother and sister stayed on the dock watching the ship swerve and found the North branch. Yugi couldn't look away: he watched the port shrink, watched the rolling golden desert and the green Nile fade in the distance like distant mirages.

He remembered the last time, mirages had tricked him. The day he sought to change his Fate and prayed to the Gods to make it happen. The day when once upon a time all he wanted was to leave the desert and the delta behind. To explore new places and escape. The Gods were certainly fickle.

His smile was bitter and so was his chuckle.

He got his wish.

**End of Part One**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1)And Now that you FINALLY Have Timaeus' AND Yugi's POV I hope i've given you all a lot to think about ;) And seriously, after EVERYTHING did any of you HONESTLY think Timaeus would RAPE Yugi?  
> 2)I didn't realize until writing this chap but this IS the first time we've ever scene Timaeus shirtless...just his back but still! Any guess on where those scars came from?  
> 3) Contradictory to popular belief, a lot of ancient cultures had some form of undergarments: NOT loin-cloths. Given Atlantis is a highly advanced society and based on their clothing in the Doma Arc, I gave Timaeus a primitive form of boxers, but the material is more skin tight to be more flexible under those lose body-suits and armor...and I thought it would make Yugi a little more comfortable.  
> 4)To avoid confusion Yugi is NOT wearing woman's clothing. The wedding outfit he's wearing was taken from the two FEMALE outfits yes, but they were taken apart and remade to be fit for a boy. Men didn't wear ANY form of pants or trousers until 6th century BCE and then strictly for riding. Just wanted to clear that up cause there was some confusion last chapter.  
> 5)"The One Who Loves Ma'at and Who Detests Evil": Another common title for Sekhmet. Though Priests weren't supposed to marry, there were no recorded vows of chastity in Ancient Egypt given it was a VERY open, sexual society sexually that embraced sexuality as a means of worshipping life and fertility. As such, rape was considered the WORST of all offenses (and SHOULD have been) not only because it was evil but because it was the one act that not only went against Ma'at aka Justice, but defiled the very fabrication of the universe because it did the one thing that was worse than taking a life unjustly (aka murder): FORCING the creation of life. Sekhmet was, above all else, a lover of Ma'at and justice and anyone who defiled it was victim to her wrath and no one escaped Sekhmet's wrath. By stating he gives his word to Sekhmet, Timaeus is basically telling Yugi that if he breaks his word and hurts Yugi in any way then he's subjecting himself to the wrath of Sekhmet, and bear in mind these were the days where you literally invoked the gods through speech, and in Egyptian culture religion and life were interlocked, so he's NOT making this declaration lightly: he's basically stating if he breaks his word then he dies. Doing so in Yugi's native religion simply makes it more powerful and personal for Yugi.  
> 6) I did the research based on the size and length of both Lake Manzala and the Tanatic branch of the Nile I estimate the distance between Djanet and the ocean is about 60 km not including turns (37.2 m) and Spanish Galleons, which i based the ships on, traveled a max speed of 8 nautical miles (9.2 standard miles) so it would take at least five hours to reach the ocean, probably longer to manuever turns and sandbars so it would take at least half a day's travel to reach the ocean, and that's if they didn't sail at night.  
> 7) The Hope Chest is appropriately named isn't it? Anyone wanna guess what's inside?


	29. Crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Eye of Timaeus has left Egypt and Yugi's new life and role as Timaeus' Magistrate and Consort is off to a rocky start and no one is gonna make it easy for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few quick notes: I have a new Grammar Knight: Araminthe Ispwitch (since i hate the term grammar nazi) who will be editing over the chapters of part one and fixing the name and spelling errors and also making small changes to glossary and end notes and such, which is a HUGE help for me! and i am so happy and grateful cause she loves Kemet just as much as I do :)
> 
> On that note, one of the changes is the change in Timaeus' title from Governor to Magister, and Yugi's to Magistrate. I did a lot of research on ancient titles for General, governor and such, since i called Timaeus General a lot in this, thought his official Title is Dragon Knight, but since i am determined to keep Atlantis as FAR away from Greek and Rome as possible (Atlantis the Lost Empire had the right idea) I did some research and decided to go with the idea of City States where the best title was the Roman Magistrate which came from the Latin Magister, or "Master" so Timaeus is literally Master of Locri. Since Magistrate, sounds more Feminine and thus as his consort, this will be Yugi's title, though both are essentially the same position but more on that will follow. Just wanted to clear that up since otherwise this chapter will be very confusing. I've already gone back and made the changes to previous chapters.
> 
> Disclaimer: Characters belong to Takehashai, though Timaeus is based on the "actual" Timaeus of Locri by Plato. I own the plot.
> 
> Dedication: There can be only one ^^ For Araminthe Ispwitch, formally the Second Hand of Time, an old friend who loves Kemet as much as I do and worker her tail off to edit the first ten chapters of Timaeus and get this back to me to update within my week deadline! So thanks so much on! This one's all you (glomps!)
> 
> Now without further ado...

**Part Two**

_Chapter XXIX: Crew_

Yugi watched Djanet fade like a mirage on the water. More than once, its image drifted so close, he dared imagine that he could reach for it. Grasp it. Hold it in his arms and never let it go. Only to watch it vanish like smoke in his hands.

 _The Eye_ navigated slowly along the Tanitic bank and had been for the better part of the morning. Despite _wepet_ , the branches were shallow compared to the deeper river and much more twisted and narrow. Timaeus had warned him it would be late evening by the time she reached the sea. That had been hours ago and Yugi had spent most of that time watching his former home fade away. How many times had he imagined this as a child, he wondered? Sailing down the Nile and across the endless sea on a grand ship just like this one? Exploring the many different lands outside Kemet and leaving the endless desert he'd known his whole life without a second glance?

Now all he thought of was home: he thought of the golden palace he'd grown up in and the Great House where his father held rituals and his mother danced bare-chested and draped in _repet_ beads. Felt the cool waters of the Sacred Pools he'd swam in and watched lotuses burst through the mirror of the pond like stars through the darkness of the night. Remembered the hot desert sands and massive pylons where his brothers had chased him and he chased ibises with the promise of treats. His chest filled with a sudden, unbearable ache. By midday, his spirit felt thin and stretched, consumed by a terrible longing: the world was unfamiliar under the weight of memories.

Eventually, he knew he'd have to stop: find Timaeus who was most likely at the helm, learn what his new position entitled, and begin his education for the new life Fate had given him, and eventually accept it. For now, however, he wanted to stare at his childhood home and mourn the death of his former life. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down all over again. Cowers and snivels were for babies and he was not some simpering whelp. He was a man now, and a Prince of Kemet, and—though he was still bitter to admit it—married and soon to be the Magistrate of Locri.

With an explosive sigh, Yugi hoisted himself up and released all his frustration and grief in a single repressed breath. Djanet pleaded for one last look before the dalles spun the ship around the wide band and vanished behind a tall gorge infested with thick vegetation. Against his better will, Yugi squared his shoulders and granted its request. He watched his father's golden city—now his brother's—slip into the shadows and finally vanish behind the tall cliffs. With its disappearance, the link snapped. A sigh of exhausting relief and heartbroken disappointment exploded from his lips and with all the grief, it upended. His knees faltered and his shoulders slumped from the impact, but once all of it had left him, it brought on another emotion that had become both a foreign stranger and a comforting friend to him these last weeks: acceptance. It was a bizarre feeling: terrifyingly new yet oddly familiar, and brought an ache in his heart that was both tearful yet gentle; and then it was gone, and all that remained was the jittering complexities of excitement.

With another tranquil sigh, he spun away from the railing, grateful Timaeus had left him alone to grieve. Perhaps now he could move on and begin again. It certainly wasn't how he imagined his first trip out of Egypt, or how he imagined his… marriage. The word was still uncertain on his tongue, but he was here and he was determined to make the most of it. On his first voyage, he had been a guest on this ship: a ward under the charge of the Trierarch. Now he was the Trierarch's Consort: a second commander, a Lord, a co-Trierarch. The new title brought him little comfort.

He surveyed his new surroundings with a timid scrutiny. The upper deck that had felt claustrophobically tight just that morning now felt overwhelmingly vast. Rowing was useless in the Delta branches: Yugi estimated the whole crew was on deck and the spray of soldiers and riggers glaring at him did little to aid his scrambling stomach. He pretended not to notice them and started towards the helm with a proud nose arched high—

—And was casually thrown aside by a powerful swipe of a meaty arm. Yugi crashed into the side of the ship and barely caught himself before stumbling. The large, brawly man it belonged to didn't even stop to look at him. "Watch it, boy!" The harsh shove was followed by a harsher growl, laced with disgust and forced Aramaic. Richly tanned skin of possibly Babylonian descent, illuminated the icy blue sharpness of his small eyes, crooked nose, and tight lips. He wore both his uniform and sun-yellow hair perfectly cropped in a military style, except for two jaded sideburns.

Snickers and some taunts followed and Yugi's eyes narrowed, but he merely brushed his tunic and continued his way, ignoring the man as he went. He didn't fail to notice the crew grouping together in a small gossiping band, whispering in harsh consonantal drawls, much cruder than his native Kemetic. Glaring eyes fixated on him with no effort to conceal their dislike.

Yugi stopped and caught a sandy blond staring, his own eyes sharpening. Seeing he'd been caught, the man immediately nudged his comrades. They silenced immediately and looked away. Yugi's expression did not change and he kept walking. The trek across the ship had never been this long, but Yugi resisted the urge to quicken his pace. He _refused_ to fuel any further gossip.

The steps to the helm came mercifully into view and Yugi expelled his relief through his nose. Then released a gasp that morphed into a scream when a sharp pain that struck his ankle sent him spiraling. He hit the deck with a loud thud; _The Eye_ 's oaken hull was boastfully strong and an explosion of laughter quickly followed.

The loudest and most obnoxious sound came from a tall, lanky youth with sun-tanned olive skin and a wild mane of black hair artfully tied into a ponytail. He stood with a swagger and threw his head back, revealing a face full of sharp angles and a proud chin that did nothing to hide his amusement. Ice green eyes glittered with malice when they looked down at him and Yugi knew in an instant that his stumble was not an accident.

Yugi gave a hearty chuckle of his own—the sheer amusement of the sound confused many to silence. Then Yugi stood and said darkly, "Was that supposed to be humorous?" he spoke, in his best and sharpest _Canaanite_ accent. Their eyes turned to him, stunned and disappointed. They hadn't expected a response, let alone one in their common tongue. Smug, Yugi pretended to straighten his clothes, but his eyes were on the dark-haired soldier. Taking note of the arrogant way he carried himself and his position in front of a small band flocked on either side by fellow soldiers, it was evident he was no simple soldier. And nor were his fellow members.

The crowd suddenly closed in like a massive hive of bees—their dislike heightened by the contrasting pastels and bright primaries of their complexions. In the lead group, there was a boy with the palest skin and hair Yugi had ever seen, and eyes so dark they looked black. Another, who Yugi recognized as the blond he'd caught staring, possessed a tan so rich he could've been a Kemetic native if not for his contradicting sandy-colored hair and shadowy mauve eyes. The muscular man who tripped him lumbered in the back, his beady eyes so shadowed and dark, they looked gray. The rest moved forward, expressions foreboding, and formed a half-circle around their leader. They loomed over him like a mismatched forest of bizarre colors and shades, some taller than even Timaeus. He was so used to the dark browns, golds, and blacks of his native Kemet that these creatures suddenly seemed ethereal and terrible; like a child who had never seen colors was suddenly trapped in an abstract painting crafted by the giant hands of a God.

But Yugi fought down the tremble that threatened to curl his spine. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, straightened his lips, and said in his sharpest, cruelest voice, "I expected _Locrian_ soldiers to be better trained." The words cut like glass and the crowd's proud resolve cracked: they stumbled back, stunned by the blunt attack—others sharpened their anger further. His assailant's mask in particular twisted into a scowl of rage, both at being denied his victory and at Yugi's blunt dismissal.

Yugi resisted a smirk and spun to continue on his way; driving the lesson home, he added, "I'll be sure to speak to Timaeus about that."

" _Timaeus_." The word was a retort so sharp and poisonous it was like a cobra bite. "Not your _husband_."

Yugi froze mid-step and nearly stumbled. He collected himself and retorted, "What I call the Trierarch is of no concern to you." Again, he hadn't said it, and it marred the sharpness of the command. "Now return to your post and get out of my way!"

All around him, the crew's eyes flickered bright with danger, but none more clearly than his assailant's: cheeks blotched with fury, eyes electrified with rage, and a murderous snarl twisted in his lips. Immediately, Yugi felt the instinct to flee, but his feet remained proudly rooted. He didn't see the hand that shot forward until the fingers wrapped cruelly tight around his collar. A hard slam sent him into the heavy mast. His spine cracked and his lungs constricted—all breath in his body forced out in a single painful gasp. The moment of weakness awakened all his senses and his hands instinctively clawed at his captor's, his feet kicked out in furious survival and desperate rage. An echo of cheers thundered in his ears and the soldiers crowded together in a mismatched, multi-colored forest.

"Do. Not. Tell _me_ what to do." The angry fingers tightened their curl with each spitting hiss. At this range, Yugi could see every arch and curve of the man's handsome face. Or it would've been, if not for the hateful scowl and the arrogant rage electrifying his green eyes with all the chaotic fury of the primeval ocean. "You will never be our Magistrate. And _don't_ pretend you're one of us either. I don't know what tricks you used to worm your way into the Trierarch's bed, but as far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but his cabin whore!"

 _That_ stung. Each word bit like a repetitive scorpion sting and the sheer volume drowned the bleeding cacophony of laughter, shouts, cheers, and slurs in suffocating silence. It hurt. To know what they thought of him. _Truly_ thought. He'd always known it was, but rumor and reality were different beasts and one clearly had a harsher bite. A small part of him hoped that it changed, but clearly it hadn't. For a single moment, that _hurt_ —and then it was gone. Replaced by an affronted, insulted, all-consuming outrage. One that boiled and bubbled until it could no longer be contained.

Yugi threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, so I'm _his_ whore, am I?"

The silence of the crowd was more rewarding than any enraged scream. Feeling his assailant's shock relax his grip, Yugi freed himself with a well-aimed knee to the man's torso. His face contorted with triumph and his retorts doubly sharpened. "I wasn't the one who practically _begged_ the Per-A'Ah and his Royal Wife for my hand, I wasn't the one who listed every possible reason as to why he should have me, and I wasn't the one who agreed to that farce of a contract signing!" They came out more bitter than he meant, but it wasn't the soldiers it was directed at. Nor was it Timaeus.

He composed himself before he spoke again. "But I accept it. I didn't choose him. _He_ chose _me_! I am just as angered by this mess as all of you are, but I accept it. I'm not happy about it, but I'm not going to dwell on it either." He turned to them all with sharp eyes. "I suggest all of you do the same."

He was about to walk away when he heard another low hiss. "This… mess…" His assailant coughed a loud hiss from the floor before rising. Only then did Yugi see the mist hazing his eyes.

"Why…" That wasn't from the soldier who attacked him. It was softer, lower, and raspier. Yugi spun towards the sound, then it shouted, "Do you not realize how lucky you are?!" Yugi recognized him immediately by his long mane of white hair and impossibly pale skin. "You are nothing but a spoiled child! You don't deserve him! So why!?" He yanked at his hair and shook violently. With his long hair and blue uniform, Yugi could've mistaken him for a professional mourner. "Why would he choose _you_ over _her_?!" he spat with an anger so anguished, it was unable to mask the pain.

"What's going—" Yugi's curiosity was cut off by an all-too-familiar voice that commanded all of the ship to its attention. Rhebekka stood with her hair down and in a dress that covered nearly all of her skin, her face a mask of surprise—then it twisted with rage and she pounced.

"Tartarus damn you!" She shot forward, putting herself between Yugi and the green-eyed sailor who attacked him and with a single swipe—quick and brutal—rapped him across the face like one would a disobedient dog, her wild hair blazing around her like the mane of a territorial lion. "Have you no sense? No shame?!" she hissed in a knife-edged whisper with all the harsh disappointment of a strict teacher, and a rage that rivaled the Trierarch's. "Have you no idea what you've done? Who you've wronged?!"

"He's Kemet's peace offering," the sandy-haired solider hissed, blunt and dismissive. "Nothing more, nothing less." His comrades nodded in agreement.

Yugi lunged forward before Rhebekka could stop him. He shot past the fallen soldier and shoved through the crowd with an angry swipe of his arms. The crowd parted in shock and the sandy-haired youth sat exposed before him. All arrogance was gone from his face and all snarkiness silenced.

"You know _nothing_ , you insolent dog," Yugi snapped dangerously low and not missing a beat. "Had you, you'd never have spoken to your superiors in such a brazen manner." There was no hesitance in the plural. The words were directed at the sandy-haired boy, but loud enough for the entire crew to feel their force. Good, Yugi thought, let them be reminded of their place. He may not have chosen Timaeus' side, but it was his, regardless. "You know nothing about the Trierarch and less about me! I'm—"

He paused and waited for the brat to retreat, but instead of looking defeated or even humbled, he—and his crew—looked angrier. Suddenly, they started moving closer, circling, like he was a rogue beast they were trying to trap.

Rhebekka shot forward and he found himself behind the curtain of her blond hair, her electrified green eyes dulled to their intelligent emerald and she transfixed them with a glare so demanding and harsh, even the harshest of them flinched. Then she smiled, and they all heard why.

" _He_ is _my_ Consort, and _she_ is _your_ Quartermaster." The answer came slow, harsh, and knife-edged. Silence, interrupted only by all-too-familiar clicking of steady, metal boots, followed.

The crew's expressions dropped to desperation and fear. Like children caught stealing desserts before dinner. It brought Yugi no satisfaction when Timaeus marched past Rhebekka and himself, and caught only a glimpse of his face.

It burned his pride to admit to it, but he'd grown quite accustomed to reading Timaeus' expressions beyond their labels: the strong, honorable General who'd lay down his life to serve his King and country, the Guardian who offered him protection whether Yugi wished it or not, the Man whose boyish mischief and kind heart he caught in glimpses, and the eccentric Rogue he'd soon have to call his husband; the one whose bondage promised him a marriage fresh and filled with passions unrivaled, incisive quarrels and fights for dominance, but also gentle lulls and much desires secured—if Yugi only accepted him—and even now, set his blood aflame.

This was none of them.

 _This_ was the Trierarch.

And the Trierarch was angry.

X X X

Timaeus was furious.

Even before he caught the scene from the hull, irritation burned in his gut when first, his Watch Keeper hadn't come back, then his Navigator failed to take the helm, and finally, his Boatswain was late with the morning report. He had little patience for unpunctuality and they knew it. That anger was a festering spark compared to his rage now.

The crew's gazes dropped to their feet. Mouths once annoyingly vocal became deathly silent. Faces that once radiated with arrogance now looked like bullying children caught in the act. Timaeus should've throttled them for that alone. Even more, he wanted to throttle himself. He exhaled and cursed his own foolish tolerance. Even _he_ never suspected his men capable of such brazen stupidity. It was a mistake he would not make again.

"Curious," he swooped into the clearing with all the grace of an eagle and the sinister intentions of a vulture. "How you all lower your eyes to me, but consider my Consort not worthy of such respect." The words rolled sickeningly sweet off his tongue. Only Yugi and Rhebekka did not fight the urge to flinch. "Curiouser, that you were all so outspoken before, but now suddenly, you're quiet?" he asked in the same sinisterly sweet tone. " _Well?_ " His voice boomed, clear and caustic.

He marched through the crows and they wisely parted. He stopped and the whole ship felt the weight of his pause. "I could almost consider it a miscommunication…" His sharp eyes fell on Otogi still frozen on the floor, not even daring to shake. "Or a lack of discipline…" His narrow lips curled and a smile slit his face. Ice-green eyes brightened with fear. "Certainly _my_ men are above something as insignificantly stupid as petty jealousy…" he said in a low, whispering hiss, laced with the same enthralling sweetness and harsh with bitter sarcasm.

Then he spun to them all and announced with a grand baritone, "Gentlemen, do you find my command unreasonable?" he asked in the same tone: patronizing and almost hurt. "Have I not been an affective commander? Have I not been a merciful Trierarch?" He sounded wounded by the constant disappointments, but the sharp arch of his brow and the harsh line of his mouth held no such sympathy. "I just cannot possibly fathom why my entire fleet would _directly_ and _deliberately_ disobey me."

"Trierarch…" Only one of them spoke: a soft, scratchy apology. Timaeus spun and landed a savage blow that landed mere inches from the sandy-haired soldier's left side so quick and sudden, he didn't even have time to scream. The world remained frozen in that position for a long moment. The rippling force of the blow in the air, the chilling bite creeping up their spines, and the sheer impact when it struck… even Yugi felt it from the other side of the hull.

Timaeus pulled his fist away and glared at the angry indent left in _The Eye's_ tough oaken rail. "Did I give you permission to speak, Malik?" he commanded, harsh and biting. The pale Shipwright didn't even try and stop his shaking.

"I could almost blame a lack of discipline." Timaeus shook his head condescendingly. Then he turned to the rest of the ringleaders of this little scuffle—his expression dark and his eyes burning. "Which, as my boatswain, would be _your_ domain. Correct, Otogi?"

The green-eyed soldier straightened under Timaeus' scrutinizing gaze. Timaeus' cruel smile glittered with murderous delight, vaguely mimicking a serpent teasing, releasing its meal just before it bore its fangs. Without breaking his stride, Timaeus dropped and delivered a sharp kick to the man's calves in a single spin that left him standing. Otogi reeled with a scream and hit the hull with a thud so loud, it echoed. Pride forced him back up, but his reward was a heavy step on his ribs. The sound he released was a strangled morph of a hiss and a cry.

"Which means I've clearly been too _lenient_ with you," Timaeus said with far more weight than the casual scolding his tone implied. There was no mercy in his eyes. He removed his foot and stepped over the fallen soldier and directed his gaze skyward. The following silence was more dreadful than the harshest scolding.

"Raphael?" he said without turning to face the man. The deadly dysphemism was enough to make the broad man, a good foot taller than the Trierarch, flinch. He wisely said nothing.

"When I asked you if anything on the deck demanded my attention, why did you lie to me?" Timaeus still didn't look at him.

Spotlighted, the man froze. His only response was jumbled intakes of air. "There was…nothing of immediate importance," he finally answered, but lacked any confidence.

Timaeus shot like a green flash. The strike hit Raphael just under the ribs with such force that his eyes popped and air exploded out of him. The blow was so fast no one remembered seeing it. Raphael doubled over in a voiceless scream.

Timaeus' face contorted in a murderous glare, and he shouted, " _You_ did not think _my_ crew _harassing_ my _consort_ was of immediate importance?! Was worthy of my knowledge?! Are you not my Watch Keeper? Are you not responsible for the safety of _everyone_ on _my_ ship? And you have the _audacity_ to judge what is important enough to warrant _my_ attention!?"

The Watch Keeper's only rebuttal was a wet, choking gasp.

Timaeus looked away with a disgusted snort. His gaze then fixated on the pale-haired boy, the only tormentor still left unscratched. "Even, you, Ryou." He shook his head in disgust. "My own navigator."

The pale boy said nothing; the harsh, disappointed glare from his Trierarch was all it took to send him shaking to his knees.

"I thought I had chosen men I could trust," Timaeus started through the crowd of soldiers, the way opening with his immediate step. "Men I thought could stand at my side, and yet…" His hand curled around the hilt of his sword. His voice dangerously lowered. "Not once," he drew it so fast, the crew scrambled to avoid its bite. "Not _twice._ " He slashed it through the air. A scream followed, leaving only a trail of small hairs and fabric pieces in its wake.

"But _thrice_ you have displeased me! _THRICE!_ Was Rex and Haga's warning not enough? Was your shame on the shores of Kemet not enough?! And yet you _continue_ to shame yourselves and your Trierarch!" The words crackled like a raging fire. Then his eyes were shadowed and his voice turned dark. "Have I not made it clear what is to become of those who dishonor me?"

The entire ship dropped to its knees—low, full-body bows that begged for clemency and silently prayed for forgiveness.

Yugi felt a dark satisfaction at the scene. He dared to look up and saw in Timaeus, not the Trierarch, but hollowed victory and torn bitterness. He recognized the Emerald warrior who saved him the day they'd met. Whose honor was uncompromised and whose justice was harsh, even if it tore his heart to pieces to carry it out. This was his Shadow.

Immediately, Yugi understood why these men respect him: it wasn't just his honor, or the fierceness of his tongue or the sharpness of his blade—it was also a pure, ruthless strength that Yugi could never hope to match.

"Now then," Timaeus sheathed his sword. "Since it seems all of you gentlemen are in need of a fresh lesson, you can all spend the rest of the evening swabbing the decks. I will be attending to my spouse, and I want my entire ship spotless when I get back. Let this be a lesson to those stupid enough to disobey me. Any further offenders will spend the rest of the journey home in the brigs, and anyone stupid enough to commit a third transgression…" A sinister smile slit his face and an impish gleam electrified his green eye, and reflected an eerie, devilish glow in the red slit of his left. "Well, he can just _swim_ to Atlantis with a nice pair of shackles around his feet."

He let the threat linger, then spun, gaze shifting past Rhebekka and settling on Yugi. He paused, spotlighted and unprepared for it, but then his eyes hardened with no hint of apology. There was no anger in Timaeus' eyes. With an amused shake of the head, he sighed, "What am I to do with you?"

"Rhebekka," he asked the Quartermaster, but his eyes were on Yugi. "Take my husband back to our chambers. I'll deal with him shortly. Then you are to take the helm until further notice, since my Sailing Master seems preoccupied," he said, fixating his harsh stare on Ryou.

Yugi stared at him, shocked. His mouth was open, ready to protest, but Rhebekka clasped his hands and silenced him with a quick, charming, "Of course!" It was said with a guileful curtsey and all the charm of a favored servant. Yugi scowled, but she took Yugi's arm and tugged him back to the forecastle before he could protest.

"Oh, and before I forget," she stopped suddenly and paused sweetly. "You gentlemen best be extra careful on the journey home. It seems I was unable to restock the poppy…" she explained just as sweet, but with a sinister smile that Timaeus swore was fanged. "So there is nothing to dull the pain." With that, she tugged a reluctant Yugi away.

Timaeus watched them leave. He waited until Rhebekka had Yugi safely behind closed doors before turning back to his men. They remained bowing, waiting for an official dismissal. He entered the throng with slow steps, then settled on his Second, Third and Fourth Mates. Ryou was still shaking, but it wasn't from fear.

"You have something to say to me, Sailing Master?" The command was in no way rhetoric. "Well? Speak! What about my command offends you so?"

Spotlighted by the address, he watched Ryou pause to gather his thoughts. He didn't meet Timaeus' eye, but his voice rang with pained confusion. "Please, Trierarch. We meant no disrespect towards you or her, but… that boy…" From the restrained way he said it, it was clear Ryou had another title in mind for him.

"That _boy_ is my consort, and as of now, your Magistrate," Timaeus snapped, but restrained his anger enough to let him continue.

Ryou flinched under the words, but when the Trierarch did not elaborate further, he continued. "None of us understand…why him? Why would you resign yourself to a political union when…?" Ryou stopped and corrected his question. "Why him when _she_ has been waiting?"

"Is _that_ what this nonsense was about?" Their heads shot up. His disgruntled annoyance clearly wasn't the answer they expected. Or wanted. "I thought I trained you better than to humor the mindless stupidity of petty rumors." He shook his head. "The fact that I have to _repeat_ myself on the issue is nothing less but staggering." He straightened and their heads dropped once more. He cared nothing for their pained looks of devastation. Nor did he have any desire to tap-dance around their egos. "Banish those foolish thoughts from your minds, men. His Majesty will _never_ disinherit our Princess, nor would I allow him to. Locri is the only place I will ever claim. Remember that and don't ever let me hear such nonsense again."

It wasn't what they meant. The worst was, _he_ knew it. He knew exactly how they all hoped— _prayed—_ that he would become their king. He knew it, and yet, he'd said nothing of it. Refused to even _humor_ the idea and spare their blind faith and the absolute certainty of their egos. He hadn't even said her name and that cut was deeper than all the rest.

"Whether you gentlemen approve of my choice is irrelevant. The fact that you think you have any opinion on my personal decisions is nothing short of arrogance, and I will have none of it," Timaeus snapped. "Yugi _is_ my consort now, and as such, he _will_ be granted the same rank and respect given to the Quartermaster and myself. I expect you _all_ to be on your _best_ behavior."

With that ruthless promise, he was gone.

 _ **Next Time:**_ _The Eye of Timaeus has ser sail. Yugi's new life is off to a rocky start. H and Rhebekka exchange some words and Yugi learns some surprising new twists about what that role entitles. And Timaeus shares some thoughts about his new consort... The Eye of Timaeus has ser sail. Yugi's new life is off to a rocky start. H and Rhebekka exchange some words and Yugi learns some surprising new twists about what that role entitles. And Timaeus shares some thoughts about his new consort...The Eye of Timaeus has ser sail. Yugi's new life is off to a rocky start. H and Rhebekka exchange some words and Yugi learns some surprising new twists about what that role entitles. And Timaeus shares some thoughts about his new consort..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One annoyance about having a story that takes place in the past is it really limits who you can and cannot use for secondary roles in a story ^^' Especially when it comes to Timaeus' crew since those guys were going to be, well, jerks for much of the beginning but evolve as they go. So I REALLY had to think about who I could and couldn't use, and it didn't help I already had roles lined up for four of my fav cast members. So after a LOT of research and a lot of headaches I finally narrowed it down. I also did a LOT of research on ship roles an rankings including merchant ships, modern and ancient naval ships and pirate ships so I broke down the MAIN roles (and was a tad mad at myself to realize I have Rhebekka three of them: quartermaster, surgeon and Cook, and was kinda kicking myself for adding another character I have plans for since it would've screwed up continuity, but after I finally manage to narrow it down, so here's some clarification:
> 
> Glossary of Ship Terms:
> 
> Order of Rank on Ship: Trierarch (Captain) Quartermaster (First Mate) Sailing Master (Second Mate) Boatswain Watch Keeper (Third Mate)* Shipwright
> 
> Sailing Master — Ship's navigator and in charge of sailing the ship, directing the ship's course, and looking after the captain's maps and navigational equipment, often times the one steering the ship from the helm. Third-in-command under the Quartermaster (Ryou)
> 
> Boatswain — Officer in charge of the ship's maintenance and supplies; responsible for inspecting ships, sailings, riggings equipment, distributing ship's rations on long trips, and tallying the amount of cargo and supplies and reporting back to captain. Supervises and responsible for rigging of the ship each morning and in charge of all deck activities including handling sails and anchor. Fourth-in-command on Merchant ships, but the one the crew answers to after the Quartermaster and Trierarch (Otogi)
> 
> Watch Keeper — Ships' Safety officer and look-out and responsible for the safety of all the crew members and officers on board the ship and responsible for all of the ships safety and emergency equipment, also acts as peacekeeper on ship. Head of Ship's Watch and organizes watch patrols at night and chooses who will stand watch. Fifth-in-command under Quartermaster and Boatswain. *Usually Watch Keeper is Fourth-in command but depending on the rank and ship this changes, on a merchant ship their rank is under the boatswain. (Raphael)
> 
> Shipwright — Ship's carpenter, traditionally someone who designs, build and repairs ships, but in this case also the ship's carpenter responsible for repairing any and all damage done to a ship while it's at sea so it can continue to sail. Responsible for all woodwork on ship: hull, mast(s) spars etc. Though a very important officer, Shipwrights didn't necessarily have a rank but serves directly under Boatswain (Malik)
> 
> Note on Travel times: I did a LOT of research for this for accuracy purposes. You have NO idea how hard it was trying to estimate and get the accurate river lengths from 3000 years and factoring in water depths, silt deposits etc. etc. Especially because the modern Tanitic branch has silted over in Egypt but I estimated the distance from Djanet (now Tanis) to Lake Manzala (Tanis Lake in the past which I, OF COURSE, didn't find out about until AFTER I finished part one (twitch)) is about the same (in other words, Tanitic river is the same width as Lake Manzala, by my estimate about 32 miles (51.5 km and 27.8 nautical miles.)
> 
> Little recap: the Atlantian ships are loosely based off Spanish Galleons in structure but their make, supplies and such are based on ancient ships so I based their speed on Spanish Galleons which travel as a speed of 8 nautical miles (9 mph) max. Thus, it would take approximately 7 hours to go from Djanet to the Mediterranean Sea using The Eye of Timaeus however, factoring rigging time, sail time the time it takes to leave the harbor and that they'll be going slower to maneuver the twists and turns of the river, and an average speed of 6 knots, and since the wind and current aren't factors since Lower Egypt is all downhill and flows Northward, and The Eye was the last to leave, I estimate the trip to the ocean will take the better part of a full day (phew!) No idea how long it's gonna take once they hit open ocean though, the Mediterranean being mostly landlocked screws up the wind and current direction so I definitely need to research to keep it accurate but my best estimation is even with rowing, and the wind on their side it would still take The Eye twenty days to a month of travel (which worked for me since I originally intended to give the trip two weeks in Kemet time (a week being ten days) to give Timaeus and Yugi time to work through their issues before arriving so, works out for me either way, but you know how I am with accuracy so no promises.


	30. Arrangements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Eye of Timaeus has ser sail. Yugi's new life is off to a rocky start. He and Rhebekka exchange some words and Yugi learns some surprising new twists about what that role entitles. And Timaeus shares some thoughts about his new consort...

**Chapter 30: Chapter XXX: Arrangements**

* * *

This one was an absolute BITCH! It took over a month to write and then i ended up rewritting the entire damn thing and thanks to my new job it took like three weeks to do it! But its done and i love it SO much better now :)

I planned on updating this morning but life got in the way and decided to be a real bitch. but what can you do?

Anyway

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill, all i own is the plot

**Dedications:** This one's for Val who was the only reason i got through the revising process with this chapter (seriously i lost count how many it was!) and once again to Armamitha Ispwich for her Grammar checking!

As always read, review, reply, comment, critique, ask questions, name your theories and go nuts!

* * *

_Chapter XXX: Arrangements_

"Oh, friend, stop scowling," Rhebekka chided with a twinkle in her laugh. "There are worse things than being sent to your room."

Like a child sent to bed without his supper, Yugi wanted to scream. It was _humiliating_.

"I will not be treated like some errant child!" Yugi twisted once the doors shut behind him, angry fingers writhing, desperate to rip something.

"And what did you expect?" Rhebekka retorted with a bored shrug of her shoulders. "You won't win any honors going about raging and snapping as you do."

Yugi whirled on her, stunned and cold with rage.

"Don't look at me like that," Rhebekka snapped, eyes narrowing. "Had Timaeus not interfered, they would've attacked you. Blindly, too. What would you have done then? Did you intend to fight them off with more sharp words and petty snaps to save your pride?" she chided with a bored, gentle patience.

"I would've handled it had he not interfered!" Yugi claimed defensively. "They'll think less of me now!"

"And what damned difference does that make?!" Rhebekka roared to her feet. The emerald pools of her eyes burned with a wisdom well beyond her years and hardened from a rough life at sea. "You became our Master and we your subjects the moment you married our Trierarch. It was _you_ the Trierarch chose, and _you_ the men must impress, not the other way around. They _know_ that, whether it pleases them or not."

Yugi responded with a stubborn snort. Rhebekka exhaled a slow sharp breath and gave his shoulder a light squeeze.

"You're a brave lad, Yugi, and a strong one. But there's a time and place for these things. Timaeus is the Trierarch, you are his Consort. It is _he_ who keeps everyone in line. You, like me, maintain order and take care of everyone. It is your right to chastise them for their insolence, but not to bully them to your will with insults."

An argument formed on Yugi's lips but all that came out was an aggravated huff. He hated that she was right, but what else could he have done? He was supposed to be the Trierarch's consort yet he couldn't even command his own soldiers to respect him. It didn't sit right with him having men who only obeyed him because they were forced to. _Who_ Timaeus married affected them, as well—Yugi respected that. More so, he'd seen how Timaeus commanded them: they respected him not out of fear, but loyalty. They were just smart enough _to_ fear him. It was a power Yugi could never hope to wield on his own. Worse, he thought with a sense of dread, how was he to assist governing a nation when he couldn't even get the ship-hands to obey him?

"They hate me Rhebekka," Yugi whispered, his body heavy. "They hate me because they think I'm something I'm not!" he retorted with a snort. "It was Timaeus who wanted it, not me!" His whirled away from her, fingers wringing to fists and his words cold and hard with anger. "He didn't even ask me! Just made an offer for my hand and that was it!" He clenched a raised wrist, his fingers trailing delicately over the _shabka_ band—the only evidence that he belonged to another. The rage in his voice was so profound, Rhebekka almost missed the undertone it was meant to cover until he whispered. "He didn't even ask me."

"Perhaps," Rhebekka said evenly. "In all honesty, I was angrier he'd waited to tell me than the way it was done, but I don't blame you for being angry. However, if you wanted more say in your wedding, perhaps you should've taken part rather than isolating yourself in your quarters, stupidly thinking it would get you out of a marriage."

Yugi spun to her, shocked. She arched a brow of disbelieving disapproval. "He told me nothing if that's what you think." Her tone was flat, her eyes even. "He forgets who I am if he thinks I didn't know he'd wed you, soon as the sermon ended. It was all your city was talking about. He's as daft as you were if he thought I wouldn't find out."

Yugi said nothing, his face scrunched, flushed pink with the scowl of a bruised ego. The shameful part was that he _had_ thought that at the time. Remembering each spiteful tantrum, he understood his sister's frustration and his fiancé's dejected silence. Time he could've spent planning things with his sister, or courting with Timaeus, or even talking to Pas about details… but instead, he'd chosen a pitying isolation. He was ashamed of that now. They had liked the situation even less than him and his tantrums hadn't helped. Part of him wished to pretend he'd never been so childishly stupid, but the other felt cheated and craved vindication.

Yugi groaned in defeat and Rhebekka favored her friend with a comforting smile. "It matters not now—you're both married, like it or not—but be easy, my friend. I know him well and your Lady Sister was not wrong: 'tis a good match, and for what it's worth, I'm glad he married you," she giggled with warm, playful eyes and a beamish smile. "You both deserve a marriage that's as passionate as well as advantageous."

Yugi responded with a snort of derision. "You're wrong, Rhebekka," he retorted dryly. "It wasn't passion that made him marry me, it was duty."

"I won't believe it!" Rhebekka interrupted, with such commanding finality that Yugi jumped. She whirled to him and clasped his hands in hers, giggling—though her eyes remained triumphantly stern. "Trust me, Yugi. I may not have known him long, but I know him better than most. I've seen the way he smiles at you, the way he teases you… and though I don't like the way of it, I know him well enough that he didn't marry you just to save you." She squeezed his hands comfortingly. "He cares for you, Yugi. You may not see it, you may not _want_ to see it, but I do. If he wanted a simple marriage out of duty between friends, he'd have married the princess," her tone sharpened with honesty. "But he didn't. He married you. _He chose you,_ and _only_ you," she finished with a profound truth ringing in her words.

Timaeus was his alone—even Yugi's pride couldn't deny how tempting that fact was. He was loyal. And honorable. He wouldn't shun Yugi away and busy his time with whores. Yugi remembered the harems that flocked his father's court when he was a child. He'd seen the mistresses and concubines foreign kings had flaunted alongside their daughters and even their wives—their stone faces bewilderingly contrasting the bright smiles and confident eyes of the Per-A'Ah's Royal Wife and those of his own mother. He was too young to understand the truth then. Timaeus wasn't like that. He would care for him, honor him, have only Yugi in his bed—and only if he allowed it, Yugi reminded himself. And not for the first time, he wondered again, if he made Timaeus his lover, would he protect him? Or would that be another mask for behind closed doors?

"I never asked for this," Yugi said stubbornly.

"None of us are here for asking," Rhebekka said flatly. Yugi felt ashamed.

She took his hands again and bid him to lift his face. Her eyes softened. "You loved him once, and though I know you won't admit to it, I know you love him still. Your trust had been wounded and that has made you angry. Aye, you hurt each other." She squeezed his hands, her words between a demand and a plea. "Speak with your husband. Let him explain. Let him be your friend again. Forgive each other."

Yugi said nothing and looked away. He didn't want to see her expression. She sounded so much like his sister that, for an instance, Yugi hated her. His old hopeful self wanted so much to believe her, but anger festered bitterly in his chest and it wasn't ready to unclench its glorious hostage yet.

"I don't want to talk to him—now or later," he snorted stubbornly.

Rhebekka dropped his hands. "You're a poor liar, Yugi," she sighed in frustrated defeat. "Alright, let's not speak of it anymore. We have far more important things to discuss." She opened her emerald eyes, scrutinized his profile with a critical nod, and summed him up quickly. "Has Timaeus spoken to you of your affairs yet? Clothing, customs, your sleeping arrangements? Anything of the sort?"

"Well… he tried…" Yugi felt suddenly flustered, like a child being caught for a crime he thought he got away with.

Rhebekka didn't ask for elaboration. Exhaling a grunt, she gestured a hand to his tunic and shenti—Kemet's style, but in Locri's colors. "And those?"

Yugi tugged on the fabric, suddenly self-conscious. "Timaeus had them made for me. He thought I'd be more comfortable for the time being."

"A sweet gesture," Rhebekka flashed a smile then strutted across the room. Ignoring the glory box in the corner, she threw open the wardrobe and fished for anything beyond the forest of under-armor suits. "We'll start with wardrobe then. You won't win any honors flaunting your status as a Prince of Kemet."

"Kemet is my home, Rhebekka," Yugi snapped defensively.

The girl did not flinch. "Aye, but you're a Lord of Locri now." She looked at him with compassionately stern eyes. "Best you look the part."

Yugi sighed and stumbled back on the couch. It was cruel compared to what he was used to. He wondered how miserable Timaeus must've slept those nights he gave Yugi his bed. This was his life now, he realized. He'd known it already, but knowing what had to be done and embracing the changes were different beasts, and it was clear which one was fiercer to tame.

So lost in his musings, he barely heard Rhebekka chirp, "Besides, that shenti and linen won't last a day against Lord Zephyros."

"Lord Zephyros?" Yugi blinked, bewildered by the odd phrase. Was it an Atlantian proverb? Or one more exclusive to Locri?

Rhebekka turned to him with a blink then scoffed at herself. " 'Tis the West Wind," she explained. "Or what they call them anyway. They're fierce devils and the worst of them are in the West Mountains and Locri is in its shadow. Believe me, you've not seen a mountain until you've set your eyes on _Aspromonte_ ," she chuckled.

A Kingdom built in the shadow of a mountain? On top of a lagoon? It had sounded like a fairy tale in Timaeus' tales. Was such a place truly possible? Yugi wondered. Locri is a Kingdom of Wind and Water. It sounded nothing like the hot sandy deserts and luscious green jungles of home. He suddenly felt an ache of homesickness but shook it away. Wasn't this what he wanted, after all? To see new, exotic places?

Rhebekka gave a cry of victory, halting his musings. She pulled free a set of flowing champagne garments and tossed them into his arms. "Try them on," she commanded gently, and Yugi fumbled to catch them. The material felt light and slippery in his arms, almost sheer, like he was holding nothing.

"And don't bother being modest," she snapped before he could move. "I've seen more men naked than I can count and you're not an exception," she hurried over.

Yugi rolled his eyes and studied the different pieces. He put on the top first: loose and flowing with long sleeves whose cuffs widened like ruffled wings and hems trimmed with gold. It hung unflatteringly loose about his torso until Rhebekka secured it with a golden brooch. The bottom was worse: exposing his stomach in a curved golden V around his hips, it was cut into two pieces, both secured by gold ties from his hip to his mid-thigh with the train pooling dreadfully around his feet. Amun, even the skirts worn by women in Kemet were not so long. To his relief, Rhebekka provided him a pair of undergarments and light, skin-hugging materials she called leggings to go under it.

He examined himself in the brass mirror with awkward scrutiny. "This feels…" he started, shifting clumsily. "Strange." It was all he could mutter. The style was odd: so many layers and so much skin covered. In Kemet, he'd barely worn anything—now only his stomach was exposed.

His skin prickled, unused to the material on his bare arms. Every step exposed honey-gold skin and the drapery retreated and receded in little ripples with each movement. Only the leggings stayed taut. He stretched his legs, unused to clothing that hugged his skin and found it uncomfortable.

"You'll adapt well enough," Rhebekka assured him over his shoulder. "They'll protect you from those harsh winds. Our garments are long and loose, but they're thick and they flow. They don't fight the wind but embrace it as a friend." Her smile was as wild as the wind she kept talking about.

He didn't doubt her. Despite the extra cloth, it was much lighter and warmer than his linen. Sheer, slippery, and delicate, he half-expected it to collapse from a single tug, yet it remained sturdy. The color complimented his skin well. The gold brought out his eyes, yet…

"Is this truly what I'll be wearing?" He turned to her in a desperate plea.

Rhebekka rolled her eyes. "Of course not," she snorted, like the question demanded an obvious answer. "Timaeus will provide you with plenty of outfits, all in similar styles. This one is simply for everyday wear. Such as roaming the ship, visiting the city, conversing with the people—you know, daily things?" She spun with a bright wink. "I'm sure Timaeus has already sent word to have the couple's chambers filled with clothes for all occasions.

"Couple's chambers?" Yugi cocked his head in bird-like curiosity. Then understanding bulged his eyes. "You mean a shared bedchamber?"

"Yes," Rhebekka giggle and elaborated. " 'Tis the custom in Atlantis, before you were a guest under Timaeus' protection. That's why you stayed here the last time. Now you are his consort. His protection has extended to you permanently. 'Tis no different on the mainland. Once we reached the Magister's palace, his current rooms will be emptied and new joint quarters will be created for you. Surely you've heard of shared bedchambers?"

"But…" Yugi blanched in surprise. "What of dining and meetings? Surely there are separate quarters so he'd not always be burdened with me?"

Shared bedchambers were a more romantic notion than a reflection of status. The Per- A'Ah's bedchamber was not just his private rooms, but where he crafted laws, sat on his throne, addressed his people, conducted business with his priests, and met with foreign diplomats. Only a small part was reserved for privacy and even those were separate from where he met with his wives and concubines. Even the Harem was designed so that the Queen's Apartments were a place of business as well as home for the Per-A'Ah's female relations and staff and all his children. Separation was a necessity.

Rhebekka shook her head, still smiling. "Nay, there are separate rooms for that." She elaborated when Yugi's eyes continued to bulge. "There's one for dining, for study, for entertainment, and for business. They are all different spheres of the Magister's house, and because of that, they are kept separate. The Masters' Bedchamber is no different, but they alone are yours and your husband's. You will have your own apartments to dress and sit and do as you will, but only a single marriage bed there. Not even servants may enter without direct order from both parties."

Yugi only half-heard her. "A shared... bed?" He parroted, more bewildered than scared.

"Aye," Rhebekka giggled. "The tradition is done in the representation of our goddess when her husband spirited her away: they had separate chambers until she accepted her husband and joined her rooms with his. It symbolizes that the two are now an indispensable part of each other's lives. As for why the shared bed, well..." she giggled with a girlish blush. "A more romantic origin of the custom has the man proving his love by carving his bride's nuptial bed from the hollow of a tree. Once it's done, he brings the bride there for their First Night. The home they share is then built around it. 'Tis also why the consummation is critical: it marks the moment when they begin their lives together."

She took in Yugi's expression: wide-eyed and jaw open, and stifled another laugh. "Oh, don't look so scandalized," she teased and playfully punched his arm. "It represents your utmost status in his life and your position in Locri. You can consider this trip practice if it will calm your nerves."

It didn't.

"Don't tell me he doesn't _tempt_ you," she said with a sultry syllable.

Back stiffening, face flushing, Yugi shook his head, denial and disbelief causing his eyes to bulge. "Oh Ra, Rhebekka, _please_ let us not speak about _that_! I've just barely begun to grasp the fact that I'm married to him let alone…" Laying with Timaeus. Having sex with Timaeus. Making love with Timaeus. Ra, no matter how he said it, the very idea sent his head spinning and his heart pounding, but he had no intention of yielding to the man's advances yet. "Of course, he tempts me! How could he not? But it matters not. I don't trust him. Legal or not, this marriage will stay unconsummated if I have anything to say about it."

"Oh, don't be boring," Rhebekka said flatly. "No one who ever said that lasted until their wedding night. The Iron Lady knows I barely lasted until mine."

Yugi spun to her, aghast.

Her smile curled to the mischievous face of a teasing imp. "I'm only telling you, there's no sense in abstinence, especially when you have someone as handsome and vivacious as the Trierarch for a husband." She smirked and giggled. "He's a tender lover and a passionate one. I may have no direct knowledge but I can assure you, you have nothing to fear from that."

Yugi snorted, blushing furiously. "I'm not afraid of—wait," The defense died abruptly on his tongue. "You are married?"

She laughed. "Yes, did I not tell you? Well, I've been married these last three years."

It made sense, Yugi thought. It would've been only a year or two after she'd become a woman at that age. It was a common thing for women. It was only men who married later and only because boys had to learn a trade. It was necessary for them to be well-off before setting up home with a wife and running the business.

"Would've been four, but I told my grandfather to make him wait. 'A man will never appreciate what he can get cheaply', Grandmama always said. I thought a year would be best, but six months into it, we could barely contain ourselves and I saw no more point in waiting," Rhebekka explained with a girlish fondness, laughing. Her eyes were dreamy and radiant, her cheeks bloomed pink, and her smile was prettier for it. She looked so much like a little girl in love that Yugi saw nothing of the fierce lioness or mischievous imp he'd come to call his friend.

Yugi smiled at her. "Must be hard," he said comfortingly. "Being apart from him."

Rhebekka sighed, lonely and dreamy with disappointment. "Aye, I miss him, but someone had to watch the city while the Trierarch is away for, nay, three months. Who else but his First? He trusted no one else. 'Twas how we met, you know?" She giggled again then plopped with a groan of frustration on the couch, her legs elegantly crossed.

"Alas, it's been well over a month since I've felt the touch of a man." Her sigh was dramatic and breezy, then she looked at Yugi with a coy smile. "Least you have the chance to sleep with your husband."

"We are _not_ speaking about this!" Yugi said immediately, straightening, then changed the subject. "What else will my duties be?" he asked, doing his best to sound dignified.

"I'm afraid I only know the basics so I cannot give you any details," she explained. A plate of dates had been left on the desk. Breakfast, Yugi assumed, but he'd ignored it that morning—too grief-stricken to eat. Rhebekka pulled a round, plump one from the middle of the pile and devoured it in only a few large bites.

She was halfway through her second when she asked. "First, let me ask: how does Kemet divide her duties—that is, between the fairer and sterner sexes? Politics, education, medicine, births, things like that?"

Yugi replied automatically. "They are all done together," he recalled vividly. "There are household rituals, as well as festivals, organized in the Houses of Life. Hem-netjer are both men and women, but births and marriages and funerals are overseen by Mut's hem-netjer, and the exorcism of disease is the duty of Sekhmet's. The home is the business of mothers and daughters—business, fathers and sons—and all children of the Per-A'Ah and of courtiers are taught to read and write, but only boys may become scribes, and politics and war are reserved for the Per-A'Ah and his chosen court. The Royal Wife, King's Mother and God's Wife, have great influence at court, however." Though such positions were religious first and political only in name, Yugi vividly remembered how his Father valued his wife's counsel. It was not direct power—they could not change laws, or make degrees even in women-related topics—but their opinions were voiced and their counsel heeded.

"I see," Rhebekka nodded, neither impressed nor disinterested. Juice trickled down her chin, and she finished her third date before she continued. "I'm afraid Locri is quite different in its division of labor, and stricter. Locri is an old city and its customs older still. Some are so ancient, I doubt they could be changed if tried."

She wiped her lips with her hand and reached for the bowl, but turned in surprise when she found it empty. "Strange, I did not think I was that hungry." She looked at her lap, suddenly embarrassed. "I did not even ask if you wanted any."

Yugi chuckled. "It's alright, I was not hungry." He sat next to her. "My duties?" he asked.

Rhebekka elaborated. "Atlantian custom is very specific. Men are warriors and Masters of the external sphere: politics, war, and the like. Women are internal rulers: they are healers, priestesses, mistresses of the household and business, and musicians. You are the younger person in this marriage, thus, you hold the position of lesser responsibility. Timaeus is Magister; his duties are war, politics, enforcing laws, providing judgment, disputing settlements, maintaining order, and organizing education, trade, and defense. You are Magistrate; you will organize marriages, tend to agreements over dowries, run the household expenses and the staff, plan parties and feasts, and take care of everyone. Births, funerals, healing illnesses, and agricultural affairs will all be yours to maintain."

Like a lion pride, Yugi thought, recalling Sekhmet. It was Timaeus who defends the city, maintains order, and keeps the people safe; and he would be the Lioness who organizes the staff, plans events, and provides care, he thought with cool resolve.

"And what of the staff?" he asked, hinting at further elaboration. "The servants, gardeners, and workers? Where will they reside?"

"In their homes, of course?" Rhebekka gasped as if he were daft.

Yugi's jaw dropped. "They don't live in the palace?"

Rhebekka threw back her head with a humorous laugh. "Nay, of course not! We'd have to house the whole island if that were the case, and there simply isn't enough room! Besides, they have homes and families of their own, but don't fret. The Trierarch makes sure they all have beds and tables, if that's what you're worried about."

Yugi's bewilderment did not ease. "The whole island?"

Rhebekka nodded. "Yes, everyone on the island in some form is part of Timaeus' house or his guard or part of the trade, and the work is circulated so everyone may honor their Magister by serving him and honoring their Gods by tending to their families. That will be part of your duty, as well: tending to the families and rotating the staff."

Yugi could only stare. Shared bedchambers, separate occupation rooms, and rotating servants who had to travel to work… It all seemed surreal to Yugi and completely unheard of back home. The common folk of Kemet did not starve nor were they poor, but it wasn't uncommon for them to get domestic service positions in the homes of the monarchs, the Gods' Houses, or even the Great House. Often, whole families would move in together. Having the staff continually have to walk back and forth between their homes and the Trierarch's seemed unnecessary and inconvenient for the staff. Yugi immediately resolved to change that.

Rhebekka squeezed his hand and smiled. "I know it is a lot, but you will learn. Timaeus will help you," she promised with a playful wink, and Yugi rolled his eyes.

"That is all for now." She hopped up and made her way to the doors. "I am needed at the helm." They opened with a shove of her arms. "For now, rest and enjoy your chambers, but don't dismay. The Trierarch will join you shortly—I'm sure you'll have _lots_ to talk about." She ushered him inside with a playful smile.

Yugi snorted.

Rhebekka giggled. "Fair enough. I've said my piece. Take it as you will." The words were playful and dreamy, like a cat who knew all its master's secrets, but in it was a finality that was both defiant and sad. Her hand reached for the door and she stopped. "What happens next is up to you, Yugi." She gave him a long look of both sadness and hope. "I tell you this as a friend: don't give up on him or yourself. Don't ruin both your lives just to punish him. No pride is worth destroying any hope you may have of a happy future."

With that, she was gone and Yugi was alone.

Yugi flopped onto the bed with a frustrated groan. Rhebekka's advice rang clear and unsubtle in his thoughts. A blush crept hotly over his face. Did he even dare to dream of a happy future with Timaeus? It was all he had dreamt about once. Perhaps Rhebekka was right and he still did. It made him wonder what might have been had his siblings not divulged their lies.

Would Timaeus have courted him properly once his guardian status was no longer between them? Beyond their sweet kisses and comforting words? Would anything have come of those playful passions? Or would they have parted as friends once their affair had run its course? Would he still be here, regardless? Perhaps as a guest and not a wife? Would Timaeus have even invited him? A weight, thick and heavy, settled in Yugi's chest. That fact had pained him most of all, and yet, nothing in his mind or in his chest could summon an answer that pleased him.

It awakened another fact he was loathed to admit. His treacherous body hadn't forgotten the way Timaeus aroused it. It had all but memorized the electric pulse of those lips on his, the gentle caresses of his hands, and the warm touch of his strong, hard body pressed against his own. And his troubled heart remembered the comfort those gentle touches had brought, the safety it felt in the shelter of his arms, and the freedom and devotion it only experienced in his lips. It was enough to send him swaying, and yet it still held that lingering, petrifying fear that it was all a mask to shatter his defenses. And with that, came the uncertain chill of what would happen when that mask came off.

Yugi shuddered, but was it from excitement? Or dread? Perhaps both. Timaeus was an unsolvable mystery. A puzzle whose pieces no one knew how to fit, or even knew where to start. Yugi had always liked challenges, and Timaeus was a defiant one. There were times when he was merciless and sarcastic, and others when he was tender and sweet. In some moments, he was collectedly cold and others, as wild as a boy mad with love. As Trierarch, Timaeus was harsh, but he wasn't cruel. The Shadow, his justice, was swift and brutal, but righteously so. The Dragon Knight commanded with an authority as fierce as his will, and his will was as indomitable as his devotion to his King. But the Guardian was different: protective, but passionate with a rogue's wit—quick and teasing and never sharp. And the Man, whose shadowed face and crestfallen eyes Yugi caught in glimpses, had listened to his tears and consoled him, but never advised him.

They were all faces, Yugi realized with a Game Master's scrutiny. Masks he shifted as effortlessly as the tide receded. But how many of those faces were masks and how many were pieces of his true self? That was the question that burned him most—even more so because he'd yet to solve it.

Another dark thought filled his mind. Was that how Timaeus saw him as well? A challenge to be conquered and tamed? His chest ached. _Why else,_ he thought solemnly, _would he marry me without asking me?_

The resounding thud of heavy doors opening broke the stillness and he could ponder it no further. At first, he thought that perhaps it was Rhebekka leaving, but then he heard the familiar, rhythmic clicks of iron steps growing not louder, but closer.

Panic swept through him and Yugi scrambled for a place to hide. He heard the doors click open, and with no more time to think, he dove beneath the opened covers and feigned sleep.

X X X

Timaeus thrust the Great Cabin doors open with a resounding bang. They slammed shut behind him. The desire to throttle his men was still hot in his blood, but he controlled the urge and expelled his rage in a long, heavy sigh. It could wait, he decided. For now, he had to see to his little one, whose own mood he doubted was any better than his.

Rhebekka paused in the center of the room, her hair loose and draped in one of those odd long-sleeved floor-length gowns she only wore when she worked in the kitchens.

"How fares my little one?" he asked her with a smile.

"Stubborn as you, and twice as feisty," she grinned. "I suppose you could do worse for a Magistrate." She didn't elaborate, but straightened quickly and showed herself out with a bow—but not before she whispered a warning that could've been a plea. "Be kind to him."

She was out before he could catch her. What did she mean by that? He wondered. Did she honestly think he'd be anything less to his consort? He prayed that she didn't. With Yugi upset and his men stupid, he would need her help more than ever.

He hesitated outside the door to his room. Then he remembered it was _their_ room now and smiled. He entered softly and found the little lump hidden in the silks. He spotted the linen puddled on the floor. Curious, he thought. Had Yugi decided to strip before sleeping? It was mid-morning and the sun was hot. He deposited them at the edge of a bed in a neat pile.

Timaeus smiled and began stripping his mail. Once down to only his under-armor, Timaeus joined him. The bed creaked when he sat down and the mattress dipped under an added weight, but Yugi did not stir. Timaeus' gentle fingers found Yugi's soft, golden bangs and brushed them away from the young face with a feathery touch.

Yugi was young, Timaeus noticed. Young, but quick of wit, as nimble as a cat, sharp-tongued like a viper, and had large blue eyes and fine dark hair and soft, sweet, delicious lips. _And mine_ , he thought hungrily. _Only mine_.

There was no sense in denying his want—it had been there the moment he'd glanced at the face of the wild creature that attacked him blindly in Mut's temple, and how could he not desire him? Yugi was all beauty and wit and courage and ferocity wrapped in one delicious little package. And he was _his_. Only in name for now, but he would wait. As much as the savage in him wanted that fire in his arms and between his sheets, the man in him was patient and would do this right. His sweet one deserved a proper courtship and he would need a gentle awakening.

He heard the swallow of an embarrassed squeak, and stilled. "Yugi?" Timaeus called out to him. Slowly, so as not to frighten his lover, he slid closer and peaked under the blankets. To his surprise, Yugi was not naked, but draped in fine Locrian silks. Carefully, he stripped the blanket away and revealed the full garment, piece by piece, in all it delicious glory. It was sleek and smooth, falling in pale ripples over Yugi's caramel skin.

A breath caught in his throat. He looked so lovely in it. The garments had been originally cut in the style befitting a Magistrate, but Timaeus had insisted on the leggings for a more masculine look, knowing Yugi's dislike for long flowing gowns that he considered feminine. Gender had minimal effect on the different styles in Locri, but he thought it would sooth Yugi's disquiet easier. He didn't think he'd ever see Yugi look so comfortable in an outfit of his own country, yet seeing him in one, watching him as he lie in one now, and Yugi wearing it like he'd done it his whole life—it made Timaeus want to unwrap it from him.

Then he froze and smirked. He _knew_ he hadn't imagined it. It was tiny, well-disguised, and barely audible under the sheets, but his sharp ears caught it: a startled squeak like a mouse frightened by a cat.

"Yugi," Timaeus called again with an unamused patience. Still no answer. With a defeated sigh, he rubbed Yugi's shoulder with his thumb.

Yugi's skin pricked from the touch, but unsure if it was apprehension or delight. His heart beat rapidly in his chest and he prayed Timaeus didn't hear it. Not daring to open his eyes or scrunch his face, he let his body fall limply, and fought with all his will not to jump when he felt gentle fingers weave around his shoulder and carefully coax him to lie on his back.

Timaeus' free hand wove through his hair, twirling the bangs with spidery fingers. His hand was coarse, but the touches were gentle and trailed down his cheek almost lovingly. They pulled away to steady the body above him. A physical weight settled on Yugi's chest over his heart. Soft hair tickled his nose and Yugi eyes popped. He looked down and blushed.

Ear pressed to Yugi's chest, Timaeus listened to his heart beat and smiled. He shifted, and Yugi closed his eyes immediately and continued pretending.

"I know you're awake, sweetling," Timaeus said, amused. He pulled his head back and braced his hands at Yugi's sides. "Your heart beats like a rabbit fleeing a jackal."

The body under him gave a small tremble but stubbornly refused to move. Timaeus shook his head with an amused sigh. As much as he admired Yugi's determination, this wasn't the time for stubbornness. "Very well." His lips curled into a wolfish grin and hovered just above Yugi's ear. "I did warn you," he whispered as soft as a kiss, and pressed his lips to Yugi's throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hardest part about this chapter was deciding the POV. I wasn't sure if it should've been Yugi's the whole chapter or if it should've been Yugi's then Timaeus or what, for a moment i even considered making Rhebekka a POV character, but eventually this is what i settled on and it worked. Originally this was gonna be longer but i decided that cliff hanger I left would be more fun,
> 
> Plus it turned out MUCH longer than i thought it would be to explain the customs and cultural differences between Atlantis and Ancient Egypt without it sounding boring, and it turned out there were a bunch i didn't even think of. I based a lot of Atlantis' customs off Locrian customs particularly with woman's roles, and ancient Sparta, the marriage customs were inspired by my favorite of the Greek Myths and the only one with a happy ending: Hades and Persephone, but the marriage bed custom was taken from the Odyssey (how Odysseus carved his marriage bed from a tree and their estate was grown all around it and Penelope uses this to test to make sure its really him). The fun part is no one knows what life was like in Locri at that time so, though i can use the ancient city as a reference i can pretty much make it up from scratch as i go.
> 
> Glossary and Grammar Knight's Note/s:
> 
> Shabka – a valuable jewelry gift given by the suitor to his fiancée. "Shabka" literally means what attaches you to the other person.
> 
> Zephyros – also Zephyrus or Zephyr; the Greek God and personification of the West Wind and Spring Winds. He is considered the gentlest of winds among his brothers, but since our story's setting is in Atlantis and not Greece, the West Winds are quite strong in Locri. I dunno, just ask Teenie about it.
> 
> Aspromonte – a mountain in Southern Italy
> 
> As always, read, review, reply, comment, critique ask questions and flames must have a reason.
> 
> NEXTYugi and Timaeus' class of wills turns a little heated in more ways than one. Some new rules are explained and just when things start to look up-they get worse.
> 
> NEXT UPDATE: JULY 25th


	31. 31: Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi and Timaeus' clash of wills turned heated--in more ways than one--some rules are explained, and just when things look up they get worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing but the plot

_Chaptter XXXI: Rules_

Timaeus' touches were like his kisses: some were soft and sweet with tender promise, some coarse and hard with want. Others were quick and teasing, but most of them were long, deep, and passionate. Yugi bit his lip to keep from moaning, but Timaeus was quick and saw the tension in Yugi's glamour and smirked.

Lowering his face deeper into Yugi's neck, he savored the sweet, supple skin sliding against his lips, and wondered what it would be like to taste it. He trailed a coarse tongue down Yugi's chin to his throat and his collar, and peppered it with kisses. His fingers patted down Yugi's shoulders and arms like tiny kittens after their mother, and slipped the blanket down Yugi's chin, down his collar, exposed his chest, and finally, his hips. His hands found Yugi's hips and settled there. He felt Yugi shivering under him, saw his fingers curl in the sheets and swallow a weak, strangled sound—a hybrid between a whimper and a moan. His armor was breaking, but he remained absolutely still.

Timaeus' smirk widened. Stubborn little thing, his consort was. "Do you want me to stop, love?" he asked with a kitten-like cock of the head. Yugi didn't move. "I know you're awake, sweetling," he teased musically. The new nickname was drawn out into two musical notes: the first high and sweet; the second, a perpetual medium ring. "Sweetling?" he repeated. "If you don't want to continue, you need to tell me." There was a strange noise from the body beneath him—an odd mixture of a growl, a purr, and a whimper—but Yugi stubbornly remained quiet.

Timaeus shook his head with a sigh of "Stubborn." Then, with a wolfish grin, he added, "Very well, sweetling. If you're not going to listen, I will just have to punish you."

Before giving his little lover time to ponder the words, his fingers danced under the hem of Yugi's shirt, teasing the soft, flat stomach and the juts of his hips with ticklish thumbs rubbing in soothing circles. His finders spidered lower and dug gingerly into the tender skin of Yugi's hips. More than once they brushed the sensitive junction between Yugi's hips and thighs and he smirked with each rushing shiver up Yugi's spine—like the icy waters of a river cracking and freed by spring.

Yugi responded with fidgets and small sounds, but nothing loud or fierce enough to show he was awake. Timaeus' hand slid to Yugi's stomach, while the other continued to explore his body. One of Yugi's hands uncoiled from the bed sheets and jerked to Timaeus' hip and a sharp gasp escaped his mouth.

Timaeus smirked. His eyes gleamed wickedly at the beautiful body trembling beneath his hands. His grin curled to a proud, victorious smile. Only he would ever make Yugi tremble like this, he realized. Only he would have the right to see him flushed with heat, and the very fact that _he_ was the reason Yugi was trembling filled him with pride.

A part of him enjoyed the charade: he'd meant the teasing as a punishment, but with each tiny blush to Yugi's cheeks, every fidget of his body against his, and each brush of skin beneath his fingers, Timaeus quickly found himself beaming. It soon became a game of who would break first, and it made Timaeus wonder how far Yugi would let him go. How much was he allowed to touch?

He had to admire his little one's resolve—Yugi was more than just stubborn, it seemed. He was willful and determined, and Timaeus beamed with pride. This was the Yugi he'd fallen in love with, and the one who would become his Consort and rule Locri as its Magistrate beside him. But first, he needed to regain Yugi's trust, and to do that, he had to get Yugi to quit playing. There was a time and place for resolve and recklessness, and it was the first thing he needed to teach his little consort. As amusing as Yugi's antics were, and as bold as he was being now, he'd given Yugi his word—and even if he hadn't, he didn't want their first time to be a loveless affair driven by lust.

Deciding it was time to end this little bout of play, he prepped for his final trick: carefully, he slid his hands up Yugi's stomach. The hem of Yugi's shirt caught in his thumbs and it lifted, exposing his midriff to the cold, open air. Yugi was visibly shivering now, his lower and upper lip sucked between his teeth, but still, his eyes refused to open.

Wolfishly, Timaeus—hands on Yugi's hips—leaned and whispered in his ear. "Just ask me, little one, and I'll stop," he promised, then added with a voracious chuckle, "If you don't stop pretending, I _will_ have to punish you," he warned, the way a child warned its rival that they were in trouble. Yugi's stillness did not change.

Timaeus licked his lips and smirked. "Alright." It was Yugi's only warning before he plunged his face into Yugi's stomach and his tongue in Yugi's naval.

Yugi didn't even try to contain his shock. His mouth opened in a voluminous morph of desire between a shriek and a moan. His hands flew to Timaeus' hair; fingers wove into the silvery locks and tugged fiercely. "T-T-Tim—" he tried to call the name but all he managed was a barely audible squeak. He tried to buck his hips, but Timaeus snatched them up in his hands and pinned him to the bed like the claws of a predatory bird. "Timaeus!" he finally screamed.

Timaeus pulled away and Yugi's lust-hazed mind blinked with confusion and disappointment.

"So now you're awake?" Amethyst eyes dark with desire met the victoriously gleaming emerald and pearl.

His mind cleared enough to survey their position. Timaeus on top of him, clad in only his tight under-armor, knees on either side of Yugi's thighs and his hands still ensnaring Yugi's hips, and Yugi's arm on his shoulder, the other buried in Timaeus' hair. Yugi's whole face burned.

Timaeus regarded Yugi's flustered face with an amused chuckle. Yugi's face burned to the tips of his ears; he bowed his head and looked away with an embarrassed frown. Timaeus' eyes shone with tender apology: one soft green, the other a pearly reflection, and pressed his lips to Yugi's cheek. With a small gasp, Yugi spun to him, cheeks pink with bashful surprise and delicately touched the tender spot. He suddenly looked so much younger and inexperienced. Timaeus nuzzled his neck comfortingly, then tilted Yugi's chin to face him. His eyes shined with uncertainty. Timaeus pressed a light kiss to the edge of Yugi's lips—the gentlest of promises.

Yugi blushed again, touched by the gesture, but he wasn't ready to surrender the game just yet. His eyes hardening with determination, Yugi sat up and took Timaeus' face in his hands, then kissed him hard. Timaeus' lips parted in an unexpected gasp, temporarily stunned by the boldness. Yugi was quick to take advantage of it, and teased his lips open with his tongue. Yugi pressed harder into him, but Timaeus was not one to be flustered. He grasped Yugi's arm with just the right amount of seductive tightness and pulled Yugi to his hard chest with a rough tug. Yugi gasped in surprise. Timaeus parted his lips with a practiced tongue and captured Yugi's lips again in a fierce kiss. Yugi felt a familiar heat pouring into him, filling him with a sweet savory warmth so strong, he felt drunk from it.

Yugi couldn't stop the moan that slipped through his lips, or the way his bones liquefied into nothing. His hands moved to clench Timaeus' forearms—independent of his thoughts—and was once more reminded of the other kisses they'd shared, both fierce and soft. Why was it so easy to fall into this man's arms? Why did one kiss leave him breathless and witless and his mind blank with the way Timaeus' body pressed against his? It made him wonder how easy it would be to just let go of everything and give into what his heart so desperately wanted.

He felt Yugi's fingers tighten affectionately and expectantly in his tunic, and with the greatest reluctance, Timaeus pulled away. He looked into Yugi's dazed, flushed faced: panting and disappointedly angry. He couldn't stop himself from smirking. The darker part of him wanted nothing more than to pounce, but his logic and honor were stronger. Besides, he decided that even without his promise, he didn't want Yugi's first night to be a loveless affair. Not when he'd waited so long to know what love felt like. Even if it took him years, Timaeus decided, he would grant that wish. For now, however, they had much to discuss: Yugi still needed reprimanding for his scuffle on the deck, and they needed to discuss his new tutelage. And as much as he enjoyed Yugi's boldness, a smirk coiled in recalling the kiss Yugi had initiated, only to have it backfire; he didn't like Yugi attempting to weaponize his affections.

Securing Yugi's hips in his hands, he gave them a light squeeze and leaned over his small consort with a low bow. "Didn't I warn you not to play games with me unless you intended to finish them?" he whispered hotly in Yugi's ear—a sharp sultry purr.

Yugi's eyes shot open and a tremor of anger, excitement, and fear shot through him. Absent was the cloud of bemusement his lust had trapped him in. Anger now pooled in Yugi's gut. He glared down at his lap and started muttering low Coptic curses under his breath. Only a few were directed at Timaeus.

Timaeus shook his head with a bemused chuckle. "As much as I long to continue this…" He tilted Yugi's defiant chin up and met Yugi's clouded eyes. "I made you a promise. One I fully intend to keep." For a moment, Timaeus wanted to believe the tide had passed between them. That the storm of bitterness was over and they could truly begin their life together. But he wasn't that naïve.

"And more importantly," he chuckled. His mismatched eyes glittered: one green and vivid with mischief and wicked delights; the other a pearly reflection, brightened by a playfully sinister red line. His smile was a smirk. One that Yugi knew all too well. "It's time we indulged in a few rules."

Yugi gulped loudly. That smirk was sending a chill shivering up his spine.

"R-Rules?" he snapped, mortified by the nervous stutter in his words.

"Yes, sweetling," Timaeus answered. There was a hint of derision in the nickname. He rolled into a sitting position on the edge of the bed, one arm braced at Yugi's hip and his top half leaning over him. Yugi glared at him for it. He tried to push himself up, but Timaeus' grip was firm.

"Firstly," Timaeus ignored the bravado and raised a scolding finger. "Since it seems I cannot trust you to hold your tongue, or my men to behave themselves, you shall not speak nor associate with the crew until I deem otherwise."

" _You_ cannot trust _me_?" Yugi snapped, incredulous with anger.

"Secondly," Timaeus said evenly and unflinching. "You will accompany me at all times. If in the event I am called away from you, you shall remain here or with Rhebekka. As your safety is my primary concern, I'll feel all the better having you at my side and away from the prying eyes of my men," he added with a possessive growl.

"Furthermore, now that we are married, you shall join me for meals where we shall spend at least two hours a day rehearsing your station as my Consort and Magistrate of Locri, and henceforth, we shall share the Trierarch's quarters."

Yugi's cheeks huffed angrily. "I'm not a babe that needs to be watched!" he snapped.

"I know that, Yugi," Timaeus said with a soft calmness. Yugi's mouth dropped to an 'o' of surprise and Timaeus continued. "Or have you forgotten how we met?" It was a rhetorical question, but he still waited for an answer.

Yugi's cheeks reddened and his expression widened with mortification.

Timaeus softened his next words but kept his expression hard. "This issue is not about whether or not you _can_ defend yourself, but if you _should._ You're too reckless. Even more so than the day you nearly flung yourself from the rafters. Your temper is too rash, and you're too quick to act. You show regard only for your pride and none for your safety and you lack the patience to hold your tongue," he criticized, but not cruelly.

Yugi opened his mouth to protest, but Timaeus silenced them with a gentle press of his fingers, eyes and voice intenerating. "You were right to defend yourself, and I'm proud of you." His face was warm, but his eyes were not smiling. "But you should not have been there. What if your witty remarks landed you in a situation you couldn't handle? What would you have done then? Whatever skills you have, there are times when your safety is more important than your pride."

"They attacked me!" Yugi said defensively, but even he heard how weak the protest sounded.

Timaeus shook his head with a sigh that was both impatient and impressed. "And they've already been punished for that offense. But they are your subjects now, and bullying them with that fact will earn you no respect."

"Bullying?" Yugi nearly choked on the word. The accusation was so unjust he could barely speak. "But they—" He tried to protest but the arguments froze on his lips when Timaeus hardened his eyes.

"This is not Kemet, Yugi," he said sternly and absent of any endearment. "You are not a prince here, nor are you righted with special treatments because you were born as one. Once you became my consort, you became their Magistrate. Your rank and status is second only to my own, but I am the Trierarch of this ship, not you. It is my duty to deal out justice and enforce the laws. Your duty is to mediate order and take care of everyone. It is a privilege for you to uphold, not a right you inherit. They did not see you as their Trierarch's Consort today; they saw you as a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. Do not lie and say it did not give you pride to see them humbled."

A protest formed on Yugi's lips, but one look at Timaeus' even eyes and stern silence and all his thoughts sounded stupid. The worst part was that it _had_ given him pride to see them cower, to shock them into submission. He had felt vindicated by it. Yet with a few harsh truths, Timaeus had taken even that away from him. Worse, he'd made it all sound petty, even cowardly. Like the bullies who'd teased him as a child.

Timaeus gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "Hence the rule," he said simply, sparing Yugi the admission.

Tears of shame prickled Yugi's eyes, but he forced them back, squared his shoulders, and stiffened his spine. His eyes stung and his body trembled from the effort. "And what exactly does my station entitle?" he demanded, eyes wet but hard, and cheeks puffed and unyielding.

 _Proud and stubborn even when vanquished_. Timaeus grinned proudly. "That shall be the second rule," Timaeus continued, his stone face beamish. "Two hours a day and all our meals will be spent preparing you for your role as Magistrate. I shall explain the details in progression. For now, you need only be aware of them. I want you well aware of what will be expected of you by the time we reach Locri and I'll not have you stumbling about because you were ill-informed."

Yugi glared at him, irritated, but said nothing.

"It is the best way for me to keep an eye on you," Timaeus admitted with a casual shrug. "And besides…" His green and pale eyes gleamed wickedly. Yugi shivered. "We _are_ married. It would seem odd if we didn't spend at least some time alone together, and we shan't become better acquainted otherwise, aye?"

Something about the way he said it made Yugi fluster and he rose to bluster. "And I suppose I'm meant to smile, nod my head, and do as I'm told like a dutiful little wife, am I?" The derision was hard and mocking.

Timaeus' chuckle burst into an outright laughter—his eyes dark and amused. "You have courage, Yugi. However…" He leaned over Yugi again, looming like a shadow. His eyes narrowed. "You've got more courage than sense, and I'm getting fed up with this constant spite of yours," he warned with an amused snap, his patience thinning.

"And I am fed up with how you've forced yourself into my life," Yugi snapped, sitting up. "You expect me to just accept this farce of a marriage and obey your commands? Ha! I won't allow you to treat me poorly. I won't allow it!"

Timaeus' smile never faltered but his eyes flickered with something that wasn't amusement. "Be grateful that I haven't!" he snapped, suddenly angered. "You've been nothing but a brat since we've set sail!" His thinning patience finally snapped. "Other than the circumstances of our wedding, have I ever given you reason _not_ to trust me?" He didn't wait for Yugi to answer. "I could've kept you locked up when I escorted you to Djanet. Or I could've made you my cabin boy, yet I did not. And now that we are married, I could've fixed it so you couldn't leave this room or do anything unless I said otherwise." He leaned closer, his voice a low hiss. Yugi shivered, but his eyes held no fear. "But I have not." He paused and pulled away.

"You…" Yugi let all his anger and bitterness bleed into his voice. "You are cruel and heartless!"

Timaeus sprang and Yugi sucked in a breath, his wrists pinned above his head and a hand curled tightly in the flesh of his hip. Timaeus loomed domineeringly above him: one eye wild and green, the other a cruel reflection—and his smile curled.

Yugi's heart leapt into his throat, waiting for him to strike. Instead, he leveled their eyes and whispered in a low, husky wisp. "If I was cruel and heartless, I would've beaten you bloody for the day's insolence and I would be having sex with you, and not even your tears or your pleas would make me stop." His words were low with dangerous promise. "Were I cruel and heartless, I wouldn't be waiting to consummate our marriage, nor would I be trying and willing to regain your trust in me." His words softened and his grip loosened. "No, little one, I am not some unscrupulous brute who would beat his lady, nor will I become the monster you think I am," Timaeus assured, hard with honor but soft with the gentlest of promises.

Yugi's hands were released but he left them where they were. His body expelled a breath it didn't realize it had been holding. Timaeus regarded him with even eyes, for a moment saying nothing, but there was something else in his eyes. Something low and pained. Suddenly, as quick as it appeared it was gone and Timaeus' eyes hardened. "But neither shall I tolerate your mistreatment of me."

He untangled himself from the bed and grabbed his mantle off the chair, and clasped it with a single swoop over his shoulders. It was a full moment before Yugi realized he was free. He sat up suddenly, limbs light and ready to flee.

Timaeus spun to him with a radiant smirk, and wickedly gleaming eyes. He noticed Yugi's glare and swaggered over to him, taking the little one's chin in his hand, smiling when Yugi put up no resistance other than a defiant glare. "I told you before, Yugi, you are _mine_ to protect, and everything I've done, I did to ensure just that." He sealed the declaration with a bold kiss—quick and hard—then he spun to leave.

Just as he reached the door, Yugi found himself and growled, then spat, "I never asked for your protection." Timaeus stopped and Yugi took advantage of the pause. He would regret it later. "And I never wanted it." His tone was low and cruel with the fact.

Timaeus stood there, saying nothing, and then left without another word. The door slammed behind him. Only when he was alone did Yugi finally allow himself to collapse bonelessly into a heap of angry tears. He punched the pillow in his anguish and curled himself into a small ball. He was right. He did regret the lie: all it had done was hurt them both.

 _Why…?_ He pushed his face into his pillow, muffling his sobs. Timaeus cared about him, perhaps even loved him. So why was Yugi so cruel to him? _How…?_ It was the one question that burned in his mind. _How could they possibly have a future when he wasn't even willing to try?_

On the other side of the door, Timaeus slumped heavily against the thick wood. Anguish weighed heavily on his heart and his weak legs wobbled like gelatin. His face fell into his hands and his fingers dug anxiously into his face. Silent tears he hadn't felt in years pricked his lashes and he did nothing to stop them. "What have I done?" he whispered brokenly to the ghosts of no one. "What can I _do_?" The question left him thick and hollow.

Neither heard the other collapse on the other side of the door.

                

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT TIME: A new voice makes an appearance and a few surprises are about


	32. 32: Pathfinder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new voice makes an appearance and a few surprises are about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot

_Chapter XXXII: Pathfinder_

The Trierarch returned to the deck in an even fouler mood than when he’d left. No one doubted why, but no one dared speak of it. He stormed to the helm and his crew parted quickly like a frightened wave.

“How long ‘till the river’s end?” he snapped, and the Sailing Master shot up.

“W-Well,” Ryou stuttered, struggling to compose himself. “The winds and the current are both favorable, and given our present speed—”

“I don’t want explanations, Ryou!” he snapped an impatient roar. “I want an answer.”

Ryou jumped and said automatically, “Another hour... at best,” he added frantically.

“Good,” came the curt, unflattering reply. “Then we’ll reach the sea by nightfall.” It was already well past midday and the Tanitic Lake, a miniature sea in its own right, would take at least a few hours to cross.

“Rhebekka will take the helm for the rest of the day,” Timaeus said, quiet and blunt—an impersonal statement that addressed no one.

Ryou watched him turn and leave, confused and almost terrified to ask what was expected of him. The Trierarch stopped and transfixed him with a sharp look, like the Navigator’s thoughts were but a mumble under his breath.

“Well? Make yourself useful.” Dismissed with a harsh glance from his Trierarch, Ryou bowed his head and scurried away, pale face flushed with shame and hurt, and not even having the strength to square his shoulders to save his pride.

The State Room was unlocked and empty. Ryou was grateful for that. Behind the safety of the closed doors, his body felt weak and heavy, like iron chains had shackled his shoulders. He collapsed against the center table, his burden deposited carelessly. Cartograph scrolls and lambskin oceanography charts spilled open over the table’s intricate carvings.

He dismissed him. His Trierarch’s cold confession burned through all other thoughts. He _dismissed_ him. Quietly. Privately. Like he was some haughty child. It was worse than if he’d screamed at him openly. It was _humiliating_.

“Stupid,” he reflected with a bitter rasp. “So stupid.”

Not since the day of their first summit had the Trierarch scolded him so coldly. He’d been an arrogant slip of a boy: well-bred, well-educated, and well-worldly—and recently promoted to act as Sailing Master for the newly-christened First of the Dragon Knights. None of which impressed Timaeus, but at sixteen Ryou was not known for his patience, and his new office had made him bolder. _Stupider_ , he reflected, the word tasting like ash in his mouth. He fancied himself better, _smarter_ , than some mixed-blood savages the King plucked from the streets of the Westerlands. Timaeus quickly saw an end to that nonsense.

Gentle fingers stroked his lower cheek and the curve of his jaw. It still ached from that day’s scolding. The other felt the same sting: he’d been stupid enough to argue. He knew better than to argue this time, so he settled for falling forward and letting the table absorb his weight—tasks forgotten, anger and shame swallowed him whole.

He knew who to blame—who he _wanted_ to blame—but no part of him could bring himself to accept the untruth. Not when his Trierarch had all but confirmed a fact: the Trierarch was in love with his consort. Whether he recognized it or not, Timaeus had fallen in love with the Kemet Prince he’d taken to wife. It was there, flecking clearly in his eyes under the burning disappointment.

But how? Why? It was the question that burned him most. He’d caught the boy in glimpses on those short days that he was Timaeus’ ward. He was no more special than the other princes Ryou encountered: he was quietly bold, stubbornly strong, haughtily proud, expectantly demanding, and carried a strength required of one bred for authority. Yet there was something else about Kemet’s youngest prince. He was handsome, otherworldly so, and he wielded it like a sword. His strength was his courage and his dignity he wore like a shield, but his true power was the sharpness of his wit, marred only by the impatience of his tongue. He carried the expectations of his rank with such dignity and courage, despite his own devastation, that for a moment even Ryou admired him.

Ujalah was a Prince-born, as much of Pinedjem I’s son as the temple singer that bore him, and far too reluctant to be the money-grubbing tramp who’d become the source of Kemet’s latest gossip.

They had been so stupid. He understood now. It was no wonder the Trierarch found such assumptions embarrassing, but what else could they have done? He was the First of the Dragon Knights, fostered and apprenticed to the King himself, and raised alongside his own daughter. A gallant princess and an honorable knight; raised together as children, lovers as adults, King and Queen of a golden age—it was like a Song. A Song! How long had they all waited in joyful hope for the coming of their wedding day—impatient and eager, and ready with gifts and preparations and careful dissections of proper garments? Yet it never came. Because that was all it was: a song, a children’s tale, glamourizing a much darker truth. And when the Trierarch _did_ marry, it was not to their princess, but to some shapely, saucy chit with pretty eyes?

A chit who was not his Magistrate, Ryou reminded himself. The word still tasted bitter in his mouth. He _must’ve_ been a harlot. It was the only explanation. Certainly a manipulator? And absolutely a gold-blood. What else could he have been? Why else would the Trierarch marry someone who was virtually a stranger?

That had been stupider.

The Trierarch was not easily seduced. He had no patience for glittering flirts or timid maids who dreamed of princes and knights and wanted him to be gentle. He wasn’t entranced by sparkling smiles and pretty songs. Many had tried. None lasted more than a day. Those that did never lasted beyond the morning, when it became clear that they had nothing but birth or beauty to recommend them. The Princess, Ryou only just now realized, had been both—and the lad was neither. He was not timid, save for his own inexperience, and not flirty beyond a seductive teasing—of which the Trierarch was a master. He certainly had beauty and birth, and he wielded both with the humble responsibility and dangerous ferocity that most men wielded a spear with.

Of course, the Trierarch has fallen in love with him, but why _marry_ him? Why him and not the princess? That was the question that burned him most. They had been close, hadn’t they? Was there even a chance, if Timaeus’ blunt dismissal was any indication? No, Ryou shook his head. No—surely Timaeus had loved her once. Loved her still.

Doors creaked open and the comforting silence shattered. He spun to it and recoiled.

Yugi stood in the shadow of the open doors, half his form still secluded in the Trierarch’s quarters. His eyes were shiny and red-rimmed and he wiped them carefully with the underside of his palm. His face was shadowed and his mouth pinched in a frown, but the skin looked freshly washed. His hair was unruly, like he’d been weeping, but he combed the tresses back with his fingers. He _must’ve_ been weeping, Ryou thought, but he hid the evidence well.

There was a slouch in his posture, exhausted and drained and yet somehow, he still managed to look regal. That was when Yugi saw him and gasped. “What are you doing here?” The words spilled out of him—nothing contemptuous or superior, just incredulous surprise.

He blinked then studied the open maps and tools scattered across the table, and his eyes flickered with recognition. “You’re the Sailing Master.” A statement, not a question. “Ryou, he said your name was.”

Ryou blinked at him in surprise.

“What?” Yugi snorted—half with amusement and half with derision. “Thought me too proud to bother with remembering your names?” Another observation that shed the cloak of a question.

Ryou, at least, had the grace to blush.

“I thought so,” Yugi chuckled, free of derision. “I don’t fault you for that.” He turned to survey the rest of the State Room. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” He wandered about, admiring everything: the light pouring through the windows and how it illuminated the sailing directions wallpapering the walls, the collection of scrolls and codices stacked high among shelves and cupboards.

He gazed at them longingly, fingers tracing the titles and his nose scrunched at some of the languages. He pulled out titles he must’ve liked and occupied one of the nearby couches, the texts ushered into a neat pile on his lap.

Again, Ryou was surprised. This was not the brazen brat he’d seen above deck. What happened to his haughty attitude?

He opened a particularly large tome and rolled it open on his slender lap, then trailed his fingers over the intricate letters and traced navigational lines of maps. Again, his eyes narrowed, and nose scrunched up in frustration,

“What are you looking for?” The words spilled out of Ryou before he realized he’d spoken them out loud.

The lad’s head popped up with a bewildered blink. His head tilted with a bird-like cock, almost innocent in its confusion. With another blink, recognition returned and Yugi spun the scroll about on his lap and held it open. The image was a nautical map: oceans, rivers, and lands. Kemet squeezed into the most southeastern corner.

“Where is Locri?” It was an honest question. It was then that Ryou saw what a map of it was. He could not find the voice to speak. Unfazed by his silence, Yugi rose to the table, shoved the books aside, laid the map upon the table, and pointed to the image of a very recognizable country. “It should be here, but I do not see it.”

His voice returned and spoke independently of his thoughts. “That cartograph is of the sea. It does not hold the whole island.” His arm robotically shoved aside the parchment and it rolled obediently into a cylinder, exposing the map below. The lad’s eyes enlarged with amazement. It was the first time he had seen it in detail.

“Locri is here,” Ryou explained, suddenly lighthearted. He traced a crescent of mountains with his finger.

“What’s it like?” Yugi asked, almost dreamily. Ryou met his question with a scrutinizing stare. Yugi’s smile did not change, but his eyes flickered with something other than laughter. “Timaeus has told me of her, but not much,” Yugi explained. “I want to know more.”

The words spilled out of him before Ryou could stop them. “The kingdom stretches from the coast, along the low rise between the two sisters here,” he illustrated with his fingers, tracing the outline of mountains and circling two intermittent blue lines that could only be rivers.

“And these?” Yugi asked, circling the bumpy ridges outlining the base of the kingdom.

“The three peaks,” Ryou explained, identifying each one. “The tallest is the House of our Great Leviathan, this is the House of our Lord Hades, and the last,” he pointed to the mountain that most closely shadowed the city with a deep fondness, “Is for the Iron Lady.”

“It all sounds lovely,” Yugi said, low with sadness. “I long to see it.”

Ryou felt himself suddenly return, like he was a specter and his body had been operating without its soul. “I am certain you will find it to your pleasure,” he replied, curt and courteous.

Yugi snorted. “If it grieves you to be polite to me, I will not be offended if you’d rather not,” Yugi said with blunt assurance. Ryou spun to him, his face a mask of shock.

Yugi shook his head with amused derision. “I’m not deaf. I heard the rumors. I know the stories. Timaeus was supposed to marry the princess and become your King. Like in the songs, the Princess and the Honorable Knight—true love, whose reign is a golden age. But he married me. I do not fault your hatred.”

No other words were said. They were not needed, but the resignation of his voice—sad but acceptant—filled Ryou with shame.

Silence lingered between them, uncomfortable and tense. Yugi began rolling the maps and turned to shelve them, and that action spoke more of finality than just a simple errand. Ryou sensed a test.

“Tell me the truth,” he said suddenly, but in control of his voice. “Do you love him?" There was no mockery or humor in his tone. This was a test, and he was determined to pass it.

Yugi turned to him. There was no surprise on his long grim face. "Whether I love him or not is none of your concern, nor does it matter what I think of him, and I’m past caring what anyone here thinks of me,” he said with dull resentment. "I was a prince of Kemet; now I am his consort. He is my husband and I his Magistrate, and I accept and will perform whatever task that duty demands of me," he spoke, with such dignity and courage that Ryou despaired.

“But…” he stumbled for words. “Surely if you accepted—”

“I never accepted,” Yugi cut him off sharply. “How could I accept when he never asked me?” He spun to face him, cheeks flushed, eyes bright, and face mad with love. He was so different from the kind and curious creature his spectral self had known that Ryou stumbled backwards.

“He approached my brothers and sisters, but he never approached me! Had he only asked, I would have—” His voice rose, but then, as if realizing he was not alone, stopped and composed himself. “It matters not. We are married now. ‘Tis the end of it.”

His tone was filled with such an underlining sadness that even Ryou despaired. It was so low and barely readable underneath the neutral dignity of it that he would have never heard it if he hadn't listened.

 _He does love him_ , Ryou realized, distraught. Or at least, he had before. But something had changed… a lot has changed. And yet he’s still here.

Ujalah—no, Yugi—was a Prince-born: proud, strong, and true. And a better man than any of them, Ryou realized. This was a test. And he failed.

He hadn’t realized he’d been shaking until Yugi took his hand. “Are you alright?”

If he had been stronger, Ryou would’ve nodded and smiled. Instead, it took all his strength not to weep. As unseemly as he knew it was, it only took the simple sight of Yugi’s concerned eyes and sad smile, and Ryou felt the strength go out of him. He forced himself to sit stiffly on the couch, but Yugi followed with a gentle squeeze of his hand.

They’d been so wrong, Ryou realized. _He_ had been wrong, he understood that now. Understood what the Trierarch had so clearly seen and what he hadn’t wanted to. He resolved himself then, wiping his brow with an angry hand and squaring his shoulders.“Forgive me,” he said, and Yugi looked surprised. A protest formed on his lips but Ryou cut him off. “Do not—please, do not,” he begged. His resolve cracked for a moment, but he regained his composure. “We had no right to disrespect you that way. I had no right… I regret that now. I do.”

Yugi blinked and nodded. “ ’Tis not all you,” he confessed. “Timaeus was right; I was angry and my pride was hurt. I should not have taken it out on you.”

“You were in your right,” Ryou corrected. A small smile pulled at his lips. “I understand now… why he loves you.”

Yugi gasped, but Ryou silenced the rising protest. “ ’Tis fine. I know you are uncertain. I do not hold that against you. I am simply telling you what I’ve observed.” His smiled brightened. “He is in love with you.”

“I…” Yugi looked flabbergasted, the protest dying in his throat. “Thank you.” He forced a small laugh and had the grace to blush.

He blushed prettily, Ryou thought. And he laughed sweetly. Yugi smiled then. A small, pleasant smile, and Ryou’s heart leapt. He resolved himself then, to learn the truth of this odd child with an honest smile. To learn who he was and where he came from, without the bias of egotistic assumptions. He would discover who his new Magistrate was: if he was truly the bratty child they thought, or someone special who kept his heart hidden from all but the Trierarch. He suspected the latter, but he resolved to find out. And if he was the latter, then perhaps in time, he could earn his trust, give him counsel, and maybe—a small miniscule part of him hoped—become his friend.

He had not felt such pride in a promise since he swore fealty to Timaeus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT TIME: A special surprise is in store, and many questions and concerns will be addressed, but will it bring our wayward lovers closer together--or tear them further apart.


	33. 33: Ocean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A special surprise is in store and many questions and concerns will be addressed but will it bring our wayward lovers closer together...or tear them further apart?

_Chapter XXXIII: Ocean_

Ryou was pleasant company, Yugi discovered—more so when he became lost in the thrall of his passion. He looked no older than Yugi, with a childishly round face and frail build, not bulky enough for a soldier and not bony enough to be a sailor. His hands were smooth but his fingers were calloused from years at his trade, and with his youthful face and round eyes, it made Yugi curious as to how old he had been when he started his apprenticeship. And how old he must've been when he joined Timaeus' service, but he dare not ask something so personal so soon. As pleasant as he was being now, Yugi had no illusions of his position, and he had no desire to test the sharpness of the knife's edge.

"How long 'till we reach Locri?" he asked, a mixture of curiosity and caution. His fingers spread along the worn map, inching towards the shores of his old home, then up towards what would be his new one. His heart raced with equal parts excitement and fear. What would it be like to land on those shores? Would the people greet him openly with warm smiles and applaud, or would they simply humor him so as not to offend the Trierarch's choice? The crew had already made their opinions clear, but had the small folk also been partial to the open secret? Perhaps they had once, from what Rhebekka hadtold him, but the question was: did they still?

Ryou favored him with a raised brow. Thumb and forefinger curled under his chin as he studied the distance. "A good question. The Eye is easily Atlantis' fastest ship and the winds and current were favorable on the journey south, but the North is a different beast."

Ryou spoke the Aramaic tongue fluently, with only the slightest trace of a Canaanite accent. Possessing a natural lore and talent for cartography and charts, he'd been plying the Great Sea for nearly half his life—as chart keeper, mapmaker, and eventually Sailing Master. The Eye of Timaeus was his first and last ship, he'd stated with a firm, loyal pride.

"How so?" Yugi asked curiously.

"The Great Sea is no normal sea. She's locked on all but a small side, and the current is unpredictable because of it. Traveling north, the chances are strong that the wind will be against us. Depending on the Trierarch's preference, he may favor the oars rather than the sails, but the absence of either will increase the voyage tremendously. I trust we'll all be oarsmen soon."

"There are no separate oarsmen?" Yugi recalled the first time he'd glimpsed at the strong, able-bodied men while running errands for Rhebekka. They didn't look like soldiers, but were also too fit to be war captives, so he brushed it off as an expense to board more soldiers.

"Aye," Ryou explained. "Every soldier on this ship is a sailor and every sailor is an oarsman. The Trierarch is brilliant like that," he spoke with praised admiration. "No oarsmen means we can transport more soldiers, and with the soldiers as oarsmen, they stay strong despite the long journey," Ryou chuckled. "He hates idleness, your husband—says it makes soldiers fat and lazy and all but useless in battle, and he'll be damned before he has useless men representing Locri and Atlantis in battle."

"Aye," Yugi agreed with the strategy. "Your best estimate, then?"

"At least a month. Maybe more." The answer was simple and factual.

Yugi couldn't understand why he felt so disappointed.

"Have you ever been to the sea?" Ryou asked suddenly.

The question caught Yugi off-guard and he shook his head. "No, but I've longed to see it. Timaeus tells me it's beautiful."

"It is," Ryou agreed. "But I'd better warn you: it's one thing to view the Great Sea and another to ride her. If this is your first time, I recommend you eat light and stay close to theQuartermaster. The strong winds and rough waters don't always agree with some," he added with a sly chuckle.

The old Yugi would've protested any remark that accused him of weakness. Instead, he chuckled back and thanked him for the warning.

They were still laughing when the State Room doors opened, and Timaeus regarded them with a bewildered expression, not at all like his earlier mask of terror-invoking rage.

Ryou bowed low from head to torso, bent slightly over the table in a grand, submissive show of respect. Yugi made no such movement and only regarded his new companion with a blink of surprise.

"My Trierarch," Ryou spoke low and properly with acknowledgement, and no small amount of respect.

The Trierarch regarded him with a nod then said, "I wish to speak with my consort. Find Rhebekka and take the helm," he said simply, but not as cold as he had before.

Ryou bowed and did as he was bid. The door shut behind him, leaving Yugi alone with his husband. A husband whom, asYugi just now recalled, expressly forbade him from speaking with the staff after the morning's incident. Yugi hadn't meant to disobey the request, yet he couldn't deny that he would've, had he been of a mind clear enough to remember.

Squaring his shoulders and using a cautious glare, Yugi asked, "Is there trouble?" Their last argument was still fresh in his memory.

"No more than usual," Timaeus said with a shrug, but the glitter in his eyes betrayed the nonchalant expression. "Though I do remember you were not to speak to any of my crew just yet." The scolding was at best mocking.

"You did," Yugi admitted. "But it's my crew now, too. I should start conversing with the ones who don't wish to see me gutted."

Timaeus blinked, pondering the answer, then exhaled a long sigh and shook his head with an amused smile. "Very true. No matter." He repetitively curled his pointer finger, the slightest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Come. I want to show you something."

He offered a hand. Yugi was inclined not to take it, but he was still a curious creature and accepted what he was offered.

Timaeus took it graciously and led him up the stern's stepswith all the haste and eagerness of an excited child.

Yugi barely glimpsed the swabbing crew before the men bolted to their respective places without an ounce of hesitation.

"Where are you leading me?" he asked, bewildered.

Timaeus winked with the playful, knowing smirk of a man with a secret—one he couldn't wait to reveal.

"We're about to pass the Tanitic Lake," he explained with a pleased glint. "You told me once that you've never seen the sea."

Yugi gasped, surprised. His lips parted with a question, but no sound came out.

"Of course I remembered," Timaeus answered the unasked question with a tease.

He didn't wait for a response, and gently led Yugi up the plank to the stern. Atum-Ra hung low in the sky, bathing all—even the water—in hell red and gold. The Eye skimmed across the water like a dragonfly. Her wings unfurled to catch the breeze, and her oars were rising and falling in perfect rhythm. Then suddenly, they all rose at once, straight like a second set of wings and retracted back into her hull.

A moment later, the crew and hands below deck scrambled out of the lower deck entrances like a swarm of insects andclimbed the rafters like a cluster of spiders. Rhebekka came scrambling out, Timaeus shouted a single order, and The Eye burst into a frenzy of activity. Yugi saw the reason why—rising,barely visible, over the rolling hills of pale blue water.

The cape, an enormous island of sand that barricades the lake from the sea on all but its head and tail, rose swiftly like a shark about to strike.

Timaeus barked an order and the riggers yanked hard. The sails unfurled and The Eye's wings flexed, catching the rising ocean wind. Ryou stood at the helm, then relinquished the wheel to the Trierarch without a command. Timaeus gave the wheel a sharp turn and the ship banked right, sailing straight for the small stretch of sea between the land and island.

"You're certain of the tide?" Timaeus demanded of Ryou. A nod was the only answer. "Bank right," he barked, and threw his weight into the turn. Yugi watched him closely, then looked past the stern. The ship spun hard, avoiding the sandbar and deeper into the darker waters.

Timaeus turned to the crew. "All hands! Step forward!"

Yugi watched as the oars once again launched from the side like a second set of wings, and with a powerful push—the wind and current parallel to the launch—the dragon flew. Her hull glided across the rough waves, her wings flexed, preparing for flight.

Yugi's heart hammered. The island drawing closer, Kemet faded behind him—though he dare not look—and the Great Green of the Unknown approached swiftly. He swallowed a breath and choked on it, momentarily forgetting to breathe. His legs suddenly wobbled and he felt himself sway. He wasn't surprised when an expectant arm caught him with a practiced catch. It should've embarrassed him. Instead, he was grateful for it.

"Don't close your eyes, love," Timaeus whispered, his eyes soft. "You'll miss it."

With a final gust of wind, the ship cleared the sandbar and she flew like a dragon with a perfect glide into the open sky and sea.

As the ship left the lake and the world changed, the air cooled and the wind picked up, the small ripples becoming a wise current and churning tiny whirlpools, and all the color of the land disappeared—leaving the vast, infinite openness of the sea and sky.

It was breathtaking.

With Kemet behind him, the Great Green spread before him in a vast, uninterrupted stretch of dark blue. The horizon and tide blended together in a single blurred line. The water shimmered in the reflection of the setting sun. The sky, bathed with an explosion of colors like it was painted with fire, kissed the sea's glossy surface—an all-embracing canvas of infinite color.

Yugi spun around, taking it in from all sides and found himself overwhelmed. Like he was standing in the center of infinity. Lost in the glorious state between dreams and waking, between clarity and true peace. Was this the primal ocean that has birthed the Great Sun and swallowed the world every night? The bottomless blackness of chaos the Demon Serpent called home?

The salty air was cool and refreshing and tasted sweet on his tongue. Wind swept through his hair like the soft fingers of a tender lover and played with the loose folds of his clothes. The embrace was warm and inviting, tempting his spirit to soar.

No, he decided. This can't be the primal sea. If anything, this must be what paradise feels like.

"Does it please you?" Timaeus fancies him with a small smile.

"It's..." He could find no words for it. "Why did you bring me here?" he asked in a voice full of awe and amazement.

Timaeus' answer was a simple smile. "You've never been to the sea, have you? I thought you might fancy a glance."

It was a touching gesture, Yugi thought. One he certainly didn't deserve after their sparring words only hours ago, he realized with awkward shame.

"So does it please you?" Timaeus asked again, soft as akiss. His embrace tightened around Yugi's slim waist.

Yugi gazed out at the horizon darkened by the Atum fading into the abyss. Even at its darkest moment, it shimmered: beautiful and polished like smooth obsidian glass, and there was nothing gentle about the massive swells beneath the waves. The rough waves moved fast curbing whirlpools before dragging back into the sea and promising to hold whatever it caught in its grip forever.

It was a beautiful but harsh mistress. Beautiful, but chaotic. Heartbreakingly wild and just as deadly. But in it carries the rugged hardships of a life of struggle, the heartbreaking happiness of a life free from restriction and the chains of the past, and the constant promise of a harsh reality—yet also the beauty of granted impossibilities, the boundless courage of hope and the exuberant wonder of infinite choice and new things unexplored, the promise of a new adventure each day, and a test of survival.

It was pure freedom; the chaotic ocean, he realized, wasprimal, beautiful, and untamed. He could understand why Apep wanted to return the world to it, and why Ra struggled so fiercely to make sure he never succeeded—and most of all, why Timaeus loved it. The sea offered what the chaos of the past did not—a choice—and his heart fluttered with the realization that now he was bestowed the same gift.

Tearfully, he could think of only one word to describe it."It's breathtaking."

Timaeus smiled; with one hand still on the hull, he placed the other on Yugi's shoulder. "I am pleased."

"Thank you," Yugi said before he could stop himself. "For making sure I didn't miss it." It was a touching gesture, he had to admit.

" 'Tis the least I can do for my consort," he smiled sweetly. His gaze swept across the sea, and he spun to Yugi. "Just wait until we are home. You'll not find a lovelier coast or a more beautiful sea."

Home, Yugi thought, completely aware he'd meant Locri and it was their home. He'd imagined the beautiful city every time Timaeus described it: surrounded by the sea and facing the open shore, houses built on stilts and into cliffs and everything surrounded by water. It seemed a far-off fantasy compared to vast deserts and stone palaces he'd known all his life, but the more he imagined it, the more fascinating it seemed. He wondered if, perhaps one day, he could call it home. The way the Precinct of Amun had once been home, and the way Djanet has once been home. He wondered if the Magister's palace and Locri would ever feel like home.

Their home. Together. With Timaeus. The thought suddenly frightened him. A prickle of apprehension raced up his spine, making him shiver. He brushed Timaeus' hands away with a nervous swat and squared his shoulders stubbornly. "I still haven't forgiven you."

Timaeus scowled for a bit then smirked—his eyes alight with the challenge. The sight filled Yugi with both excitement and dread.

"Well then…" One hand loosely gripping the wheel, Timaeus leaned closer. His hot breath dusted Yugi's cheekravishingly. His emerald eye burned with hunger, the pale other with resolve. "It seems I will just have to find other means of pleasing you," he said, low and harsh with promise.

This wasn't the Trierarch he'd sparred with moments earlier,or the Guardian whose hidden face of soft regret he'd caught in glimpses. This was the Man: the smooth-tongued rogue who'd stolen his heart before he'd even realized that it happened.

Against his will, Yugi shivered, but he wasn't about to surrender. "Like those kisses?" Yugi challenged back.

Timaeus, at least, had the courtesy to blink. His single eye carried the faint shadow of a twitch, then he smirked. "You did enjoy them, did you not?" His smile curled when Yugi's expression narrowed.

Of course he had, and they both knew it, but Yugi was not about to admit that to Timaeus or himself. He didn't need to. His silence was enough.

"Had you not, or had you told me otherwise, I would have stopped," he said with a sly grin. "But you didn't." After a deliberate pause, he added with a curved smile, "And on that matter, did you not do the same to me?" Timaeus shot back. "Or have you forgotten our first kiss? Or rather…" His smile curled wickedly. "The first time you kissed me?"

Yugi blushed, remembering. "That was different."

"Aye, it was," Timaeus confirmed. "You were using me to spite the priests. I was simply calling you out on your folly."

"My folly?" Yugi gasped, annoyed.

Timaeus didn't even humor him with a turn. "You sought to avoid me by hiding as you had in Djanet. But fear not, I've learned from that encounter."

Yugi had no response, so he changed his tactic. "And with the crew? Was that calling me out on my folly as well?" came the sharp retort.

Timaeus frowned. "That was your own doing as you well know. I should have fed them all to the sea for such bold dishonor, but your arrogance did you no favors."

There was no answer, so Timaeus dropped the issue and elaborated. "I said I was proud of you for handling your own, and I am. Do you know how many have been able to outwit Otogi, let alone face Malik and Ryou without flinching? Your stance was remarkable." His praise stilled to a small frown. "It's your challenges you need to choose more carefully. If you're going to be bold, make sure the situation is one you can handle, otherwise, your pride will land you in a situation where you are outnumbered." He didn't need to emphasize about earlier.

Yugi said nothing, so Timaeus continued. "I know the situation is difficult for you. In Kemet, you were a prince. You were born into the hierarchy with rights and titles and the respect and admiration of all, regardless of your own abilities. Atlantis has no such structure. Everyone on the ship, including myself, had to earn his keep and his place. You are theTrierarch's Consort now, but that is an empty title if your men do not respect you."

Yugi's fingers curled around the railing, still silent in his defense. He didn't want to admit that Timaeus was right. How many scrimmages had he gotten into back home because he couldn't hold his tongue? Only to come home with bruises andto his mother, and eventually, his sister's scolding? Pas onceasked him if it had been worth his hurt pride, both the beating and the scolding—which arguably, coming from Mut, was worse. He had stubbornly refused to answer then, too, but this time was different. This time, it wasn't his brother reprimanding him for being reckless or his sister sternly reminding him to mind his tongue. It was Timaeus, and it stung worse.

"Yugi?" Timaeus regarded him with even eyes and stern irritation. Still, Yugi stubbornly remained silent. He decided to change tactic. "Judging from your silence, you agree with me, then?" he only half-threatened.

Yugi perked up immediately. "I made no such notion," he shrieked, shrill with irritation. "I am not some child to be scolded!" he retorted with so little respect that were he a child, he'd have been slapped for it.

"No," Timaeus said. A reaction at last. He leaned close, voice stern and face stoic, but eyes and smile blazing—one with hunger, the other with challenge. Yugi wasn't sure which excited him more.

"You are my Consort. Soon to be my Magistrate. You shall hold the second most powerful position in Locri and third in allof Atlantis. You will handle all the financial, social, and theological expectations of my house, and handle political and military orders in my absence." The words rolled off his tongue in proud, expectant quips laced with resolve and no small amount of affection.

The pride in his eyes made Yugi shiver. Apprehension chilled his blood. He wanted nothing more than to look away,but those blazing eyes left him paralyzed.

Sensing Yugi's hesitation, Timaeus added earnestly, "I did not tell you this to scold you, sweetling—only to make you aware of your station and what it will entitle. It is you who must show them just how worthy you are of it." A hand rose to cup Yugi's cheek tenderly. "And there is only so much I can do to assist you…" He paused for a moment, reflecting that notion. "I know you'll make a splendid Consort."

Timaeus' eyes softened. It was so easy to imagine a life with this one: to imagine waking to his smile every morning, and falling asleep with him in his arms… To imagine him trembling under his touch and teasing him with kisses… Yugi wasn't shy and Timaeus rather liked that playfulness about him. He could imagine that playfulness as part of their marriage bed. He could see Yugi running and racing across the deck in a storm while everyone else hid below, or hiding his boots and refusing to reveal them without one more kiss. It sounded like bliss.

"And I fully intend to earn your love again," he whispered into Yugi's hair. "I could give you so much, Yugi. I will… I will do whatever is in my power to make you happy." The promisewas so fierce, it made Yugi shiver again.

He would, too; Yugi knew. He would be a good husband to him. He would make Yugi happy; the question was: did he wanthim to? It was the question that taunted him with all his hopes and dreams and filled him with an all-consuming fear. And yet he wanted so much to hope.

For a brief moment, Yugi considered what it would be like to just surrender. To let himself become part that world—ofTimaeus' world—and have all his dreams of adventuring at his side as companions, and perhaps even lovers, become more than just simple dreams for children. He realized, only in that moment, that he wanted that more than anything, but a part of him still trembled, knowing that if he did accept him, if he fell into those arms again—he'd be lost.

Sensing Yugi's control slipping, Timaeus slowly slid closer."So much…" His lips hovered tantalizingly close to Yugi's, teasing him.

The words rang with truth, Yugi realized. His face was paling, though his skin was unbearably hot. That same beautiful smile that seduced him with promises and made it harder to stay to his oath of not forgiving Timaeus just yet…

It was getting harder and harder to resist him and all he promised. But he couldn't surrender. No matter how much his soul pleaded to his body to betray him. If he let himself fall—lethimself surrender—and let those promises seduce him again and it was just a ploy, he'd have nothing left.

Timaeus leaned closer, so close, all Yugi had to do was stepforward and he would kiss his smile, but he dare not move—notwhen Timaeus' eye flickered with an emotion so wild that Yugi couldn't distinguish it from lust or excitement. "There will be no doors, no locks, no secrets between us, I promise you." His words ghosted over Yugi's lips, tantalizingly close and heartbreakingly warm. "None but the ones in your own heart." Another promise. Another truth. "All you need to do is open it…" He was so close, Yugi couldn't breathe. All he had to do was lean up and the man would be his. He closed his eyes, his lips parting. All he had to do was say yes, and all he promised would come true—or he'd fall so deep inside himself, inside the anguish of deception and heartbreak, that he'd never again be able to climb out and find himself.

"No!" His lips parted in a scream and he shoved him away, suddenly overcome with foreboding.

"No?" Timaeus blinked, confused and eyes bright with hurt. Had he gone too far? He took a step closer but Yugijumped back, glaring at him—a new defiance suddenly heating his blood.

"Stop it!" Yugi spat. Timaeus retracted his hand like it was suddenly burned, confusion and remorse etched his features into that of the failed Guardian. Stop looking at me like that, Yugi growled to himself, suddenly angry, but it wasn't at Timaeus. His pride suddenly flared to life and he spat, "You can't seduce me with kisses! That is why your crew doesn't respect me! They think I'm your whore!"

Yugi regretted the words as soon as he said them, but pride fired his blood and anger was hot in his veins, and it needed to lash out at anyone but the true cause of it.

Timaeus looked at him with a face full of hurt—then henarrowed his eyes glaringly at the accusation. His already thinning patience finally snapped. Fingers curled into fists at his sides. Fine, he growled in his mind. If he wants to play the martyr and me, the villain…

"Oh, they do, do they?" Timaeus said with a shrug, yet his tone was anything but humorous. "Well, we'll certainly need to put an end to that, then. So we'll start your training as my consort and your chores tomorrow."

Yugi blinked, bewildered and unable to process the words. "Chores?" he choked out, apprehensive.

"Everyone on my ship must work, even me and even you," Timaeus said as naturally and effortlessly as one expected the sun to rise in the morning. "And if that is to be the way of it, until my men can learn to behave and I can trust you to hold your tongue, I shall accompany you wherever you go."

"You can't—"A protest formed on Yugi's lips, but he was quickly silenced.

"Until we reach Locri, I'm not letting you out of my sight," Timaeus promised. "Henceforth, you are under my protection and my guidance." He smirked like a master with a new apprentice. Yugi might as well be one, but instead, the opportunity made him furious.

"Don't do me any favors!" Yugi screeched with a shrill of infuriation, his temper flaring in annoyance.

Timaeus' smirk curled at the corners—the same smirk he wore whenever he saw Yugi frazzled. His next words rolled into a giggle. "Oh, you can be sure of that, love." The new nickname sent a shiver down Yugi's spine, but it wasn't of dread. "You can be sure of that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Queen sips her wine with four passed out kuribohs in her lap and Strawberry (pink) on her shoulder snickering) don't worry my wonderful readers I DO have a plan! It's just taking some time for it to come in to fruitation but it will soon! Starting next chapter ;) I got the next two planned out and plotted I just have some plot holes to figure out and then I gotta type them :) then if all goes well we can start getting I to the chapters I REALLY wanna write ;)
> 
> Glossary:
> 
> The Great Sea — this was the common name for the Mediterranean Sea during the Phoenician era and during much of the Ancient World. Oceans and Seas had no names in this period and since there wasn't much travel West or East of Africa, the Mediterranean was considered the primary or main ocean, hence the name.
> 
> Canaanite — a branch of the Aramaic dialect spoken mostly by the Phoenicians or those who traveled by sea to foreign countries, basically it was the root language or common tongue of those around the coast, and I felt it would be appropriate as the main language of Atlantis, given the whole thing is on the ocean.
> 
> Tanitic Lake — little recap, this was the Ancient Egyptian/Coptic name for the modern Lake Manzala, where the mouth of the Nile River spills into the Mediterranean Sea,and named after the Tanitic Branch of the Nile River, which in those days was the primary waterway and entrance to the then-capital city of Djanet (modern Tanis). It has silted over today.
> 
> Note about the Primal Ocean:
> 
> The Primal Ocean Yugi is referring to comes from the Ancient Egyptian Legend of Creation, where there was nothing but the primal ocean of chaos (a.k.a. space) until one day, a mound rose from the ocean and became the Sun a.k.a. Amun/Ra, who then had Tefnut and Shu (moisture and Air respectively) who then had Nut the Sky, and Geb the Earth. Apep, was the demon snake who lived in the Chaotic Sea and every night when Amun-Ra, the sun, set and traveled through the underworld, Apep attached his ship—hoping that by swallowing Amun-Ra in his weakest moment, he could then swallow the earth and return everything to chaos. Fortunately, this never occurred because Seth, the second son of Geb and Nut, after Osiris, protected Ra in his weakest moment by slaying the Serpent every night, as he was the strongest of the Gods and thus the only one capable of doing so, and Seth himself was the God of Chaos (but natural chaos, such as floods and storms which were extremely powerful and dangerous, but in turn kept the soil fertile and protected Egypt from Invaders). So Yugi's reference to Apep and the Primal Ocean in this scene refers to this story.
> 
> as always read review reply critique comment ask questions post theories and go nuts! I'm so excited to see what you guys come up with!
> 
> Next Update: September 19th
> 
> Next Time: Yugi gets a taste of good old hard work and the crew gets a taste of him. Ryou makes a decision, Rhebekka makes a declaration and Timaeus finds himself between a rock and a hard place with no way out.


	34. 34: Duties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi and Timaeus share a meal and actually manage to have a civilized conversation. Timaeus makes a move and Yugi get's some rather eye-opening advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> APOLOGIES TO ALL MY WONDERFUL A03 FANS FOR THE LACK OF CHAPTERS FOR MONTHS!!!!! I actually updated six chapters on FanFiction and usually right after update here, but life has been crazy and it hasn't been getting the same level of traction here that it has on FanFiction so i always meant to go back to it and then of course everything else piled up...(headdesk) so again I apologize for the delay but good news! you now have not one but SIX brand new chapters to read! and the seventh will be up in two weeks and the eighth is nearing completion as we speak!

_Chapter XXIV: Duties  
_

Yugi awoke to the obnoxious bellow of horns blasting the next morning. The noise was so sudden that he awoke with a shriek and thrashed about until he landed on the floor with an embarrassing thump.

"Are you alright?" Timaeus was already awake and dressed. He looked down at him, eyes curious with concern. He had exchanged his heavy emerald armor for his silver skin-hugging under-armor—and it clung tightly to his form and only the belt that covered his hips and thighs remained, for which Yugi was grateful.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Yugi demanded, more embarrassed than angry. As one of the Per-A'Ah's children, he was used to waking before dawn. But in the confines of Timaeus' chamber, the forecastle's horizontal windows—always parallel to the sea and facing the rear—made it difficult to see when Amun rose and set.

Timaeus merely shrugged at the outburst. "You looked tired. I thought you would prefer sleep. If you are awake then you can change in the privy." He gestured a thumb to the adjacent wash room and privy chamber reserved only for the Captain and those of rank.

Immediately, Yugi looked down at himself. He'd been so worn out by the day before that he nearly collapsed as soon as they'd returned to the Trierarch's quarters. He couldn't remember if he ate anything—or if he even changed his clothes. He was so tired. To his relief, the silks he wore were still in place, though ruffled from sleep. The wrinkles smoothed themselves upon standing and he understood why the Locrians preferred the material.

"Why do you look so relieved?" Timaeus asked with a hint of a snap.

Yugi glared at him, expecting a fight. Instead, Timaeus regarded him with a sly smile, his hard eyes suddenly twinkling with mischief.

"Do you think me so roguish as to strip you while you slept? Do you truly think so little of me?" he feigned hurt.

Yugi, at least, had the grace to blush.

Timaeus only chuckled. "Rest assured, my darling, it is never my desire to make you uncomfortable," he promised. "And if that includes undressing you then I shall, of course, refrain." The smile curled with a tease. "Unless, of course, you _wish_ me to."

Summoning the last of his dignity, Yugi rose from the floor, dusted himself off, and strutted towards the wardrobe without so much as a glance in Timaeus' direction. He thumbed through different fabrics, silks, and linens all in similar styles—longer and sleeker and poised to cover as much skin as possible without hindering movement, and definitely Locrian and all foreign under his fingertips. Though wrinkled and crisp from sleep, his attire remained smooth but the looseness made him feel naked and exposed. His fingers brushed the smooth, slippery, but strong material of Timaeus' under-armor—a protection so feather-light.

"Can I have one of these?" he asked, boldly but hesitantly.

Timaeus' smiled dropped to a gape. "That?" He tried to mask his surprise at the question, but failed. A confused hand pointed to the sets, a thinly-veiled gesture of confirmation.

Yugi nodded, his pale cheeks reddening. "Well, I need to act as your right hand," he elaborated shyly. "Best I look more like a Trierarch than a Lord's bride."

Timaeus considered that for a moment. "There is logic in that, and yet…" He smiled as he approached the wardrobe and ran a hand over the garments. He glanced at Yugi and sized him up quickly. "I'm uncertain if any are your size…" There was a shyness to his voice that sounded almost unnatural compared to his usual confident baritone. "But you are welcome to try," he added quickly.

Wandering fingers found a smaller suit—older than the rest, yet not the least bit faded by time. "Ah, yes." He pulled it out to examine it, eyes brightening. "Try this one." He thrust it into Yugi's startled arms, and ushered him into their shared privy. Yugi blinked, but did not argue.

He emerged from the privy a few minutes later, the silks bundled in his arms. It clung loosely, and hung off his slimmer build.

"I'm afraid the lad who wore it before you was a size too tall when he was your age."

"A boy?" Yugi asked curiously, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

Timaeus noticed the twitch and grinned. "Ah, yes, about your age. A very foolish lad: very handsome, very strong, very quick to anger." A fond chuckle bubbled in his throat. He hadn't failed to notice the twitch in Yugi's lips, or the green glow hardening his eyes. Bright-eyed, he added, "And the most stubborn creature His Majesty ever brought to the Atlantian Court."

A flicker of understanding passed over Yugi's features, his jealousy retracting and replaced with an amused snort. "This was yours." There was no question in the words.

"From my earliest days in Atlantis," Timaeus admitted, unable to hold back a laugh. With a small step forward, he slipped his fingers behind Yugi's neck and tightened the lacings. "Back when I was _naively_ young, _ridiculously_ bold, and _unbearably_ stupid," he punctured each adjective with a drawn-out groan of impatience. "And far too stubborn to realize what I'd been given."

"Were you really? Tell me the truth!" Yugi snickered. He tried to imagine Timaeus, wild and savage as a youth on the cusp of manhood.

Timaeus pulled the last lacing a little too tight. His lips curled to a smirk. When he pulled his hands away, one settled on Yugi's shoulder and the other bent his chin in an elegant curve to meet Timaeus' fraternal eyes of glittering emerald and enigmatic pearl. "I was twice as stubborn as you, my tongue was just as sharp, and my wit was at least a thousand times more vulgar. 'Twas a miracle of the King's patience. I should've been lashed every day. I would've deserved it."

Yugi pulled away, unable to suppress a roar of laughter. Timaeus grinned.

"How old must you have been?" Yugi asked between snickers, gesturing to the looseness of it.

"Oh, I was about your age. I was just this much taller." He waved a teasing hand a good few inches above the tips of Yugi's hair. Yugi snorted in derision, eyes narrowed.

"I'm only jesting," Timaeus chuckled then sighed. "Telling the truth, it didn't fit me quite right either." He sounded almost sad. "I was always more of a sailor than a warrior, I'm afraid." He said it so longingly and so quietly that, for a moment, Yugi wondered if he was speaking to himself. He opened his mouth to elaborate but Timaeus silenced him with a gesture. "No matter now." The playful smile had returned but the longing had not left his eyes—yet it was so small a flicker, Yugi would never have noticed it had he not been looking.

"Come, let's break our fast." He gestured him off with a small shove to his back.

The morning feast was a spread of plump figs, fleshy pears, juicy-looking pomegranates, bunches of plump green grapes, honey-sweetened cakes, and a round of bread. Only when Yugi smelled the sweet, tangy aroma of juice and the fresh pungent smell of bread and salt had he realized that it had been nearly a full day since he last ate. His belly ached to be filled and his mouth watered, dry and famished. His limbs ached to move but his steps were slow with forced courtesy.

Timaeus quickly took notice of the sudden stiffness and gave him an assured smile. "There's no need for that," he urged with a gentle push. "I'm aware you've not eaten since yestermorn, and as it is only us, there is really no need to impress."

Yugi's eyes turned bright and hopeful.

"You _must_ be hungry," came the reassurance.

Discarding all courtesy, Yugi plopped into a chair and launched himself at the food. He was halfway through a honey cake when he grabbed another. Both were followed by a handful of grapes and a large gulp of mead. It tasted earthy and barley, and left a dry aftertaste following so much sweetness.

Timaeus sat down a little more formally and smiled as he watched Yugi eat. He pulled off his gloves one finger at a time and set them near the end of the table, and split a pomegranate with a kitchen dirk.

"Pomegranate, love?" Timaeus offered with a slight wink.

Yugi wiped his mouth on his sleeve and set the cup of mead down to grab it. "Thank you," he nodded, remembering that courtesy. Sparing a glance at his sticky fingers and the status of his plate, he bowed his head low, cheeks pinking. "I must have been hungrier than I thought."

"Indeed," Timaeus chuckled, amused, and scooped out a handful of pomegranate seeds. All at once, he popped them into his mouth and licked his lips. He looked devilish then, like a little boy plotting mischief. It was so unlike his normal behavior—so unlike the chivalrous, well-kept knight who courted him—that Yugi decided he liked that face and began pondering ways on how to bring it back into play.

He bit into the seeds, juice trickling down his chin. They were ripe and sweet like fine wine and summer nights. He swallowed with a hum of pleasure nearly shuttered.

"Good?" Timaeus teased.

"Delicious," Yugi nodded, wiping the juice from his chin until Timaeus provided him with a cloth.

"I love the juice myself," he confessed, wiping his hands clean. "But I can't stand the sticky fingers." He gestured to his gloves at his side. "I've ruined many a pair, I assure you."

He wiped his lips with his thumb and threaded his fingers together under his chin—the amusement of the Man gone from his face and the all-business Trierarch returning to replace it. "Now then, had Rhebekka spoken to you of your role at all? Duties, arrangements—that sort of thing?"

Yugi paused. "She spoke some," he admitted. "Only about certain differences with staffing management that I needed be aware of, what my duties will be and…" he paused and blushed. "And that we'll be sharing a chamber… and a bed." The blush darkened.

For an instance, Timaeus' gaze softened, the Rogue looking amused like he was biting back a tease, but the Man regarded him with kind and understanding eyes. Then the Trierarch returned and smiled. "Well, we've already discussed that particular bit of business." Despite the courtesy, the words felt and sounded awkward on his tongue, even nervous. "Has she spoken of anything else?"

"Not in detail," Yugi shook his head.

"I see," Timaeus nodded and paused to consider his next words. "Let us start by asking what your understanding of the Magistrate position is, then."

Yugi squared his shoulders. "It means that I am your consort, and as the younger of this marriage, thus I hold the position of lesser responsibility. I will organize marriages, tend to agreements over dowries, run the household expenses and the staff, plan parties and feasts, and take care of everyone. Births, funerals, healing illnesses, and agricultural…" He listed all he remembered from his and Rhebekka's conversation.

It was a curt answer, and Timaeus disliked it. "True," he cut Yugi off, wanting nothing more than to break through that armor of politeness. "However, it is much more than that." His fingers moved to palm the back of Yugi's hand. Yugi didn't flinch. "Think of the Magister and Magistrate as the monarchs of a lion pride."

Yugi immediately perked up at the reference. Timaeus smiled. "The Magister is the Leader, the Warrior, and the Protector. My duty is all external factors: I shall handle politics and trade outside our country, handle things like war, enforcing laws, passing judgments, protecting our borders, and training soldiers and ship hands."

Yugi nodded.

" _Your_ duties, however," Timaeus began, "Are much more cultural and central. The Magistrate owns all the island's _internal_ affairs. Yes, this includes basic things like household finances and dowries, but more importantly, you will be responsible for the aid of everyone on the island—spiritual aid, their health concerns and assisting with healing illnesses, and the like. They will seek your advice and guidance on marriages and possible suitors. It will be you they turn to for such matters, not I."

Yugi's eyes widened. "Health concerns?"

"Yes," Timaeus answered. "All matters related to life and death have been strictly reserved for women. As such, you will be responsible for not just the physical, but the spiritual: births and blessing of children, arrangements of funerals and blessings of the deceased, and all events held in the temples such as marriages, festivals honoring the gods—and music, which is very important to Locri's spiritual and cultural tradition, will also be yours to command. Again, traditionally, these are restricted to women, but as you are my consort and a former hem-netjer of Mut-Sekhmet, I believe an exception can readily be made."

His tone was bright, but Yugi only felt nervous. "And you?"

Timaeus nodded. "Me, they shall turn to for justice, but _you_ they will look to for guidance and aid."

He paused to let the information sink. Yugi's eyes widened and he offered his hand a gentle squeeze. Yugi relaxed slightly into the touch and Timaeus softened his voice before he continued. "Do not fear, love. I know you are more than capable. I shall help you and so will my staff." He squeezed Yugi's hand again reassuringly. "I'm confident that, in time, they will adore you as I do."

It was the first time he'd said anything like that out loud and Yugi's chest suddenly tightened. He suddenly became all too aware of Timaeus' hand holding his and felt overwhelmed—but by what, he wasn't sure.

"I will not let you stumble." The words were meant to be reassuring, but Yugi only grimaced and pulled his hand away.

"Of course you won't," he said aloud. And looked down at his hands.

Timaeus said nothing, but his lips pulled into a thin line, his eyes dark with aggravation.

"I'll leave you to think on this, then," Timaeus said, sharp with closure.

Yugi didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

"Are you finished?" he gestured a hand to Yugi's plate, piled high with honey cake crumbs, pomegranate skins, and the cores of figs. He wiped his mouth on a cloth and nodded.

"Good," Timaeus clapped his hands. The bare skin made a snap when they collided. "Then once you've cleaned yourself up, we can begin our daily duties." He pulled on his gloves and gestured a hand for Yugi to follow.

Yugi nodded and wiped his hands clean, his posture aloof and unsurprised. Timaeus arched a brow. He'd been expecting at least a grimace, but if anything, Yugi looked nonchalant.

"What shall we be doing today, then? Steering the ship or advising the men?" The question came in an almost-relaxed tone.

Confusion made Timaeus blink. Then understanding curled his lips into a smile. "Actually…" he drew out the word, deliberately teasing. "We shall start by restocking the kitchen. Rhebekka's planning on something hearty this week, so we shall need to bring her at least a few crates."

Yugi froze in mid-step and shot up, eyes expanding. "Wait," he gasped. "You mean _we_ will be bringing them to her?" he asked, confused and with poorly-masked dread.

Timaeus smirked teasingly. "Of course. And once we're finished with that, we shall organize the rest, re-rig the sails, repair the mast, and if we have time, we can start chipping some of the barnacles off _The Eye_." He said the last part with an affectionate pat against the wall.

Yugi's face paled from pink to colorless. "B-B-But what about the crew? Surely they—"

" _They_ ," Timaeus cut him off, "Will be spending the day as oarsmen. The current is favorable but the damn wind turned traitorous last night, so we shall be rowing for the next few days," he said with a snort, then added with a smirk, "And when they are not rowing, they will be spending every waking moment making my ship spotless until they've proved to me that they can behave."

That brought Yugi no comfort. His brain scrambled for another answer. "Then, perhaps Rhebekka will need me? You said yourself I'm an excellent healer!"

Timaeus couldn't resist a grin. _Even defeated, he continues to fight_. He sighed and shook his head. "There are no wounded right now, and Rhebekka has her hands full cooking at the moment, but she's more than capable of doing it herself. Had she needed help, I assure you, the whole ship would be hearing of it." His words were a hearty chuckle, but Yugi's face only looked more and more horrified at the thought of manual labor.

"Besides," Timaeus added. "You said yourself last night that the crew will not respect you unless you become one of them. They will not respect you if you hide away in your comfort zone, correct?"

Yugi's mouth twisted into a protest then froze upon opening when his bold request came back to him. Frozen, his mind scrambled for something—anything—that could form a workable answer. No ideas came.

"Surely you are not opposed to some manual labor?" Yugi stared at Timaeus' triumphant grin and glared.

"I'm sure I can manage," Yugi boasted with a humble undertone. His shoulders squared and a proud nose rose as he walked past.

Timaeus' smirk curled with pride. He was still there: that feisty, fiery prince he'd longed to call his own.

All it needed was a little push.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grammar Knight's Glossary:
> 
> dirk - is a long thrusting dagger.
> 
> This Chapter was most Timaeus' pov which was fine cause he needed more spotlight and i wanted to do more with their 2-hour meal sessions than just recap boring details so hope this offered some clarify on just WHAT yugi will be doing when they get to Atlantis ;)
> 
> Originally this chap was gonna be longer, but after some SERIOUS debate and editing with myself i decided to keep this scene and cut the ideas i wanted to do into the next chapter where i could change the style of events and then in chapter 36 have the first big plot twists i planned on with Rhebekka! So because of that a lot of stuff that I promised would be in this chapter will actually be in the next chapters. So sorry about that ^^' I'm so excited i can't wait! and hopefully after that i can get into the Fun stuff ;)
> 
> thank you all so much for the ideas and feedback it keeps me going and inspires me!
> 
> NEXT TIME: Yugi gets his first taste of good old hard work and the crew gets a taste of him. Ryou makes a decision, Rhebekka makes a declaration and Timaeus finds himself between a rock and a hard place with no way out.


	35. 35: Chores

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi gets his first taste of good old hard work and the crew gets a taste of him. Ryou makes a decision, Rhebekka makes a declaration and Timaeus finds himself between a rock and a hard place with no way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I only own the plot
> 
> DEDICATIONS: The reviewers! your depth, comments and portrayals keep me going and assure me I'm accomplishing all i set out to do with my writing! thank you girls! and to my wonderful Grammar Knight Aramaipswich for getitng this back to me during her finals week! You are a goddess girl!
> 
> Now on to the chapter!

_Chapter XXXV: Chores_

Three days. It had been _three_ days since Yugi began assimilating into his new life on his husband's ship… and all his efforts had ended in disaster.

True to his promise, he and Timaeus had ushered several bags of root vegetables, dried fruits, and salted meat into the kitchen. Timaeus carried all three with little effort; he struggled with just one. Halfway up the second set of stairs, the bag slipped from his weak fingers. Turnips spilled down the steps like a stampede of escaping gazelles. Some more ambitious than the rest even had the gall to jump over two steps at a time, until all of them formed a clustered herd at the foot of the storage hold.

He wasn't even surprised by the round of snickers and veiled snorts that followed. Gathering his dignity, Yugi took up the bag and proceeded to calmly walk down the steps to restock. Timaeus didn't frown when Yugi stole a glance at him. There was no disappointment in his eyes, only a comforting smile. Yugi would've preferred his fury. Even disappointment would have made him feel less guilty.

He tried separating them into two smaller bags, but by the time they reached the galley, the effort had left him embarrassingly exhausted. The thousand scrutinizing eyes sizing him up as he followed Timaeus back down were worse. All were thinking the same thing, he knew: _this_ was their Trierarch's chosen, and they were unimpressed. He wanted nothing more than to slink back to the Trierarch's quarters and sink into the bed sheets, up to the tips of his hair. Only his pride kept his back straight and his shoulders squared.

After his second try had left him struggling to keep up, Timaeus offered to transport the goods with a smile, and tasked Yugi with the job of reorganizing the cargo hold. Staring at the chaotic mess, Yugi had never felt so confident. After all, he was trained as a scribe and learned mathematics under the guidance of royal tutors. Surely those skills would make the task easy enough?

It hadn't.

He set to work—hopes rising—but as he sorted through bushels of dried herbs, crates of vegetables, fruits lying against loops of coarse ropes and wrapped sheets, barrels of water, mead, lamp oil, and ink all stacked together, his confidence dissolved. The task of organizing changed themes repeatedly and none were effective. At first, he tried organizing by category, but that backfired when he failed to remember that the water was for both drinking _and_ bathing. Next, he tried the more effective method of arranging everything by amounts, but quickly lost interest in the amount of work that would take. By the time his third method failed, he had moved everything at least twice and his entire body ached. Refusing to give up, he finally decided to stack all identical items together along the walls, but his height got in the way and he was forced to stand on another box for support. The ship's constant swaying upset his equilibrium and both he and two of his towers collapsed to the ground.

Ryou rushed to his aid when others arrived to investigate the source of the crash. The arrogant dark-skinned blond he recognized from the day before made a snide comment about Kemet royals being graceful on dry sand, but rather clumsy at sea. Otogi, the arrogant raven-haired man he'd gotten into the scuffle with—and the Boatswain—had taken one look at the upturned buckets of scintillating nails, spoiling vegetables, and wasted mead, and was absolutely _livid_. Yugi didn't blame him. When Otogi finished screaming, Yugi dusted himself off and offered to straighten up, but Otogi barked a sharp "No," and said he'd do it himself. Yugi was about to protest but Otogi's locked jaw and murderous glare dared him to continue. Relenting, he left, but over his shoulder, he heard Ryou snapping up to Yugi's defense.

"I wouldn't trust him to tar the floors!" Their bellowing laughter soon snorted in his ears.

He couldn't even look at Timaeus for the rest of the day.

The second day hadn't been much better.

The wood and waves had served well enough, but the fickle wind had turned traitorous during the night, and so Timaeus had the whole crew up at dawn rigging the sails, adamant that he'd be damned before he let _The Eye_ steer any further off course. Yugi had been among those ordered to assist while Timaeus, Rhebekka, and Ryou took the helm—and he had been determined to prove himself competent to the task. Each time he grabbed for the rope, someone snapped him out of the way, or grabbed it from his hands. Someone flung him a spare and he took it and yanked hard, but the coarse rope felt slippery in his hands. Fibers dug into his palms, scraping him like thorns. Still, he held on, desperately pulling even as his hands clamored to find solid grip. Then the sail stalled, and the rope slipped from his fingers. He barely registered something plummeting towards him before he was barreled to the ground. A pair of strong arms absorbed the shock of the impact.

He blinked several times before Timaeus' vague outline clarified. And so did the loose mast, and the abandoned rope he'd been holding. Only Ryou, Rhebekka, and Timaeus weren't glaring at him. Timaeus wasn't even looking at him at all.

"What happened!?" he barked, pulling them both to their feet. Yugi let him, still shell-shocked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Malik's clip was a restrained grumble. "Couldn't hold onto the rope." He was careful to avoid any names but Yugi knew. They _all_ knew.

"Of course not!" It was Ryou who snapped—the evidence of the event clenched in his hand. He rang it along the rope. It came away damp and shiny. "This rope is caked in oil!"

Yugi looked up at that and he wasn't the only one. Timaeus' eye narrowed.

"What did you expect after the mess the storage room was in yester-eve?" Otogi snapped next.

"Regardless…" It was Ryou who cut off the string of comments rising in all their throats. His soft voice was low and cold, and when he spoke, his words were like a stone dropping into a well. "As the Boatswain, inspecting the ship's sailing, rigging equipment, and reporting any damaged items are in _your_ domain, is it not, Otogi? And attending to _all_ the ship's repairs is _Malik's_ duty." Ryou shifted his eyes to the blond who gaped at him, spotlighted in shock. "Perhaps had you two taken better care of your duties, then the mess would not have happened?" It was not a question. Both men gaped at him and turned to the Trierarch for support, but found only cold dismissal. His eyes did not leave them, even as he pulled Yugi to his feet.

"Heaven Forbid," Ryou continued, a smile slitting his face. "Someone could've been harmed by such negligence. Like our Trierarch's consort or even the Trierarch himself." The retort dripped with mockery, and both men knew better than to challenge the threat.

The blond, Malik, gawked—spotlighted: an innocent man convicted of sin… or rather, a man so certain he would _not_ be convicted.

"It matters little how it happened," Yugi clucked in, and the whole crew spun to him. He had felt Timaeus shift but Yugi didn't look at him. "The wind is against us and we need to get back on course." He hurried away, not glancing at anyone.

Timaeus said nothing, and for that, Yugi was grateful.

By Day Three, it had become clear that Yugi had no hope of succeeding at manual labor, so Timaeus finally relented and moved him to Rhebekka's custody. She'd set him to work at cutting onions for a roast beef stew she was brewing. The kitchen blade was smaller and the metal sharper than the copper snickersnees he was used to, and he constantly cut his fingers on the sharp iron. Each nick caused blood to infect the food and mess to contaminate his workspace. Even that wasn't as bad as Rhebekka's scolding screams. He had spent more time cleaning the blood and disinfecting the blade than he had cutting the vegetables. After the third cut, Rhebekka forced his hands into a pair of tough, leather gloves. They were thick and bulky and destroyed his dexterity, but at least now he was cutting off chunks of radish and not his flesh. Fortunately, he succeeded in skinning the last batch without incident.

Ever the hard mistress, Rhebekka had set him straight to work storing them in jars, tying bushels of herbs in leather straps, and hanging them over the fire to dry; and once that was done, she had shoved him into a joint washroom to clean the dishes. That was where he found himself now. On his knees, sleeves rolled up, and elbows deep in hot, soapy water. The rancid combo of salt and soap aggravated his nose, the heat stung his eyes, and his arms were red and pruned as a dried raisin by the time he'd finished the last dish—only for Rhebekka to enter a moment later with an armful of large pots, thick with grime and caked in soup. She dumped them into the tub with a sympathetic look. Yugi should've screamed. He _wanted_ to scream, but all he managed was a tired groan. He squeezed the rag, leaving it damp and soapy, and set to work.

Three days, and the former prince of Kemet—now consort to the Dragon Knight and Trierarch of _The Eye of Timaeus_ , and soon-to-be Magistrate of Locri—was doing dishes. _That_ was his role, because he'd failed at everything else. Even the crew's bullying wasn't entirely to blame, he knew. As much as he had dreaded doing anything that constituted manual labor, he couldn't help but be excited. His first stay on _The Eye_ had him hauled up for days in the Trierarch's cabin, recovering and pouting. Volunteering to help Rhebekka with her chores had simply been a means to curve his boredom. Now, he had the chance to prove himself. To show that he could be one of them. To show that he could be useful—and it was nice, he realized. To be useful, to have a role and a place onboard the ship, and he'd been confident that he could do it.

He should've stayed in the Great Cabin.

A wave of depression—both from the sea and his heart—sent him leaning back. The balls of his feet retracted and plopped on his bottom with a heavy sigh. The crew hadn't liked him then either, he remembered. Back then, he'd been a guest. Now, he was a Consort and second ruler, and his position was still no different. It was no wonder they hated him, he thought.

He wasn't naïve of their snaps and snickers. Nor was he foolish enough to believe the ropes had been an accident. The crew despised him. They saw him as a burden, because he _was_ one. It hurt to admit it, but it would've been worthless to deny the truth. They thought he was useless, and he's all but proven them true. Here he was, the Trierarch's consort—soon-to-be Magistrate—and he could barely chop vegetables.

When the last pot was cleaned and set aside, he rose from his sore knees and hauled the heavy tub to his chest. Water splashed over the rims and soaked the wrap Rhebekka had given him, but he didn't care. Slowly, he hiked his heavy burden up to the deck and dumped it over the rail. Exhausted and panting, he slouched against the railing, and studied the fractured sea beneath him. The waves were small, but roughly tossed curls of foam. The swish of the oars crafted little whirlpools and the color shifted in the light from an omniscient deep blue to a bland slouched gray—like the sea itself couldn't decide what it wanted.

Despite that, though, Yugi felt calmed by it. The air was crisp and sharp with the smell of salt. Horizons spread all around him like the sea and sky had smashed together, and infinite blue water spread unparalleled and unstoppable. It reeked of freedom and possibilities, and Yugi knew from then on that he loved the sea and all its infinite promises. He needed that comfort.

"Getting some air?" Yugi spun. Ryou descended the castle steps with a small smile. "You look haggard," he said with a soft laugh.

Yugi chuckled and gazed down at his pale hands, wrinkled like a dried prune. "I am. I thought my siblings were harsh taskmasters."

Ryou burst with laughter. "Aye, learned that lesson the hard way myself. Only person I've ever met more stubborn than the Trierarch is his Quartermaster." He relaxed against the railing, his posture formal but not unfriendly.

And just like that, Yugi was alone with the Sailing Master. A Sailing Master, he reminded himself, who was close to Timaeus and Rhebekka, and the men who hated him—and yet whose tone towards him had changed. The formality was no longer icy, his posture no longer stiff—and this time, when they spoke, he didn't struggle with his laughs.

"Um, thank you…" Yugi started, a bit thrown-off.

Ryou spun to him and he elaborated. "For yesterday, that is. You did not have to."

"Oh yes, I did," Ryou cut him off, bluntly and holding no room for argument.

"Still," Yugi said, suddenly shy.

"It _will_ get easier," Ryou reassured him. "We have all faltered when we started. You are not the first, nor will you be the last."

Yugi's fingers curled under his palms, trembling. "It isn't that." He paused. "They aren't wrong about me, Ryou. They see me as a burden, because I am one. I've never served on a ship as anything other than a passenger. I've never done manual labor before today. I was a Prince of Kemet, trained as a priest of Sekhmet and served the Great House all my life, yet here… here I'm a Trierarch's Consort. In Locri, I will be a Magistrate, and I will have a whole island's care as my duty, yet I can hardly cut radishes."

He finally looked at Ryou, shaking. "Can I tell you a secret? Something… I haven't even told Rhebekka?" His eyes were wracked with pain and Ryou could only nod. "I…" Yugi tried to speak, but realized he couldn't look at him. His wet eyes dropped its gaze to the floor. "I _want_ to be a good Magistrate. I want to be _his_ Magistrate. I _know_ I can, but this—all this—is so new to me, and there's so much I don't know. How do I start? How do I show them that I can do this? And what if I don't? What if I can't? How can I help him rule if I can't even earn the respect of this crew? I… I don't know what to do."

Yugi's face dissolved into silent tears. He clenched the railing for support and willed himself to stop shaking. Silence passed between them and almost as instantly as the words had left him, he regretted confiding something so deeply personal to someone who only considered him civilly and not a friend.

"Don't give up." When Yugi looked at him, his dark brown eyes were hard with determination but soft with reassurance. Ryou took Yugi's hand and held it gingerly. He spoke the Aramaic accent fluently, but traces of his native Canaanite had slipped in his passion. "You are smart, Yugi, and you're strong and you're kind. Do not let them take that from you. You are young, but your heart is true. You will succeed." His hands started shaking and Yugi stood stunned.

Finally, Ryou said, "… And I will help you."

Yugi nearly stumbled, stunned by the Sailing Master's peripeteia. Then he listened to the words again and was overcome with emotion. "Y-You will…? Oh, thank you!" He flung his arms around the pale youth. Then he felt Ryou stiffen and composed himself, blanching white and then cheeks tinting pink. "I-I-I mean—" It was difficult not to stutter.

He felt gentle hands touch his shoulders. He looked into Ryou's warm smile and the young man gave him a short embrace. It reminded Yugi of the way his brother hugged him when he'd been little and timid of everything. Then just as quickly, Ryou stiffened again and pulled away.

"You had best head back," he gestured to the sky behind him. The sun was fading fast and the sky was a mesh of deep crimson and fading purple. "It's well-nigh dusk. Your Lord Husband will be looking for you."

Yugi quickly brushed his eyes and nodded. "Thank you, Ryou. Again."

He started past him. Ryou hesitated for a moment. "Yugi," he finally called after him.

Yugi stopped.

"Talk to your husband, Yugi. Tell him what you told me. He will help you."

Yugi stiffened and shook his head. "Thank you, Ryou, for the kind consideration," he replied, courteous and dutiful. "But my Lord Husband has more pressing matters to see to." His voice had lost all its friendliness and replaced it with civility.

Ryou only nodded. "If it pleases you." His smile was kind and Yugi returned it. He departed for the forecastle, catching the last glimpse of twilight as it blinked over the sea. He watched Amun-Ra descend into the primeval sea—and for the first time, he wondered if the Gods ever feared that he would not return. Then he remembered Seth guarding his boat—the strongest and most brutal of the Gods, but also the most loyal and the fiercest of their protectors. Turning back to his friend, Ryou looked nothing like the powerfully-built, camel-nosed, beast-headed God with flaming hair and eyes he'd adored in childhood, but in him, Yugi saw all the fierceness and loyalty that had led the God to slay his brother when he and his sister stole their Grandfather's name. For the first time in three days, he lied down in his new chambers and waited for Timaeus, content in the comfort that he'd made a new friend.

X X X

Ryou watched the lad depart for the sterncastle with one last glimpse at the sun before it set. He wondered briefly what the boy was thinking, then smiled ruefully. It was so easy to see why Timaeus loved this one—this exuberant youth with a kind heart and a humble soul, but a fiery spirit. The peripeteia of it filled him with determination as well as shame. How could he, who prided himself on his judgment of character, have misread him so critically? He cleared his head, and put the past behind him, then turned to the rafters.

"Do you two plan on stalking the whole crew or just him?" Ryou retorted, his voice scratchy.

Malik growled vocally and Ryou regarded him with a simple glare over the shoulder. Otogi copied Malik's disapproving glare. The gall alone made Ryou sick.

"You understand that no one believed the ropes were an accident, correct, Malik?"

Malik's eyes flashed with trepidation but he quickly masked it. Too quickly, Otogi charged forward. "What did you expect after the mess that brat left of my storeroom?" he grouched.

"That _brat,_ " Ryou cut him off with a sharp hiss, "Is your _Magistrate_." He pushed himself off the ledge and took a menacing step forward—his shoulders squared and eyes sharp with accusation. He stopped in front of them. Both men had an inch or two on him, but the burning promise in his eyes, dark and hostile, carried a far more dangerous threat. "They weren't splotched from the spill." He leaned forward and whispered to them both, "They were _drenched._ "

He let the fact hang there for a long moment before he continued. "I know it was you, Otogi, who soaked the ropes; and you, Malik, who gave it to him. The only reason I haven't gone to the Trierarch is because I have no proof it was you two. But you can be sure that he is just as suspicious of your actions as I am. If you do not believe me, then you are either naïve or _breathtakingly_ stupid."

Malik gawked, appalled by such an accusation. Otogi's face was a weak mask of surprise that he tried to conceal under angry eyes and a tight jaw.

"Why are you supporting _him_?" Malik demanded, fury in his voice and anguish in his eyes. "If I remember correctly, you were just as insulted by his presence as we were!"

Ryou visibly flinched, the memory of that stupidity filling him with shame. "True…" he confessed.

Malik's face was a smile of absolute triumph.

Ryou's lips tugged into a smile. "But I've had the courage to do what you clearly could not."

Malik and Otogi blinked owlishly.

"What?" Otogi asked, curious.

A smile slit Ryou's face. "Accept the truth. Are you saying you've yet to see it?" He gasped—his surprise full of mockery. "Oh dear, how terrible. Both your prides have already been so terribly bruised."

Their faces contorted with rage. Hot-blooded, Otogi shot forward, commanding, "Listen, you—"

"No." Ryou cut him off and grabbed the hand that lurched at him with a practiced grace, squeezing tightly. " _You_ listen to _me. I_ am your _superior,_ Otogi. _Not_ the other way around. _I_ am the Sailing Master, _not_ one of your bumbling riggers and oarsmen." His nails sank and his fingers twisted deeper with each word, until Otogi could no longer hold his brave mask, and his knees buckled in pain. "And if you _ever_ attempt such dishonor against me again, you'd best _pray_ the Trierarch deals with you himself." He released Otogi's hand and the man crumbled to the deck, his wounded hand cradled against his chest.

"Now get out of my sight!" Ryou hissed. Gathering the remaining shards of his dignity, Otogi grudgingly obeyed the dismissal. Left alone, Malik stared at him—his face a mask of shock. He glared at Ryou, but Ryou furrowed his brows, daring Malik to challenge him. "Do not forget, Malik; we may be comrades—mayhap even call the other a friend—but I am _still_ your superior." His eyes were hard but not untrusting. "And _he_ will be the best Magistrate we could've ever hoped for. The Trierarch chose well. I tell you this, Malik, as a friend."

He left without another word. Ryou resolved himself then. To help the Trierarch's young consort. To aid him in the challenges that lie ahead. To guide him, encourage him, and change the opinions of his comrades. To show them the spirited but humble young man determined to find his place in the world and aid his husband to the best of his abilities. And mayhaps, in time, to even call himself his friend.

X X X

"Now what do you suppose all that was about?" Rhebekka clipped rhetorically over Timaeus' shoulder. His eyes were fixated on the lower decks where his consort and three of his officers had just exchanged "pleasantries".

"Does it matter?" He hardly cared for quarrels between his men. He could guess well enough. "We have far more pressing matters," he said, words laced with disgust.

"Quite," she agreed. "Then again, Yugi never was one for petty power struggles." Rhebekka's lips formed an uneasy line.

"No," Timaeus agreed—the days' events still fresh in his mind. "But he doesn't surrender either. He fights… or at least he used to." His fingers clenched, remembering Yugi's pacifist behavior—so unlike the fiery, sharp-tongued youth he's come to love.

"It's only natural for his confidence to falter in a new environment, but I am confident that will change," Rhebekka assured.

Timaeus cut her off with a sharp grunt. "I made Yugi my consort, knowing I had no intention of being with anyone else. I knew the crew mistrusted him, I knew I was bringing him to a world unknown to him and putting him in a position he was unfamiliar with, but I had seen his courage and his strength and I was confident that, in time, all would be well. How naïve is that, Rhebekka?" He clenched the wood beneath his gauntleted fingers, voice drowning in anguish.

"Indeed," Rhebekka nodded, brows furrowing. "For all their loyalty, soldiers truly are daft creatures," she snapped, revolted. "They think themselves clever, but in truth, they are grievingly predictable. They are either impetuous or naïve."

"I should throw them in the brig to rot," Timaeus growled. "And yet I can do nothing about it." His hand tightened around the railing until the wood splintered.

"You could—" Rhebekka pressed, but Timaeus cut her off.

"I _could_. I made my opinions clear and what the punishment will be for any further offenses against Yugi and I," he began. "Yugi is my consort and their Magistrate. That is a fact. If I told them a second time to show Yugi respect and that there is no forgiveness for anyone who defies him, there can be no doubt that the harassment will cease immediately."

Rhebekka didn't respond. She didn't need to—the answer hung in the air between them like a mocking ghost.

Rhebekka hesitated. "My Trierarch…"

"I know, Rhebekka," Timaeus said. "But I promised him I wouldn't interfere. Even if I do… the crew already thinks him unfit to be my consort. As my Magistrate, he will hold the second-most-powerful position in Locri, and share the fourth-most-powerful position in all of Atlantis. He will attend to political and military affairs in my absence, and will be responsible for the care and aid of my people on a daily basis. He has the experience to do so, and you and I both _know_ that he can, but all _that_ will count as nothing if he is overwhelmed by mere sailors…" he growled, voice subdued in anguish—the railing splintering even further under the force of his grip. "Yugi must show that he can overcome such matters himself, or lose all credibility and standing before the men, the monarchy, and my people."

"But does he _know_ that, Timaeus?" Rhebekka queried with an incredulous snap.

"He knows what the position entitled—" Timaeus began, but then she cut him off with a loud smack of her palms against the wood of the banister.

"That is not what I meant, and you know it!" she snapped. Anxious fingers scratched at the wood like a furious cat sharpening its claws. "God's teeth, Timaeus, why won't you talk to him? Why won't you talk to _each other_? Listen to him, forgive each other, become friends again—"

"I _hav_ e," he cut her off again, his tone sharp and brooking no further argument. "I've spoken with him again and _again_..." His tone was more tired than angry. A sigh exploded through his nose and he wearily continued. "I promised him that I would not interfere and I did not just mean with the men. He wants our marriage to succeed, so the next step must be his."

He descended the forecastle steps without another word.

Rhebekka watched him go, and suppressed the urge to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hope this chapter fit all the promises i made with last one and gave you all a lot to think about ;)
> 
> And i just want to say how bad ass was Ryou this chapter? I LOVE writing him like this, he's such a strong character and yet all of that gets swept under the rug in most FanFics it seems so i was very proud of how he came out this chapter, it literally wrote himself!
> 
> Now, because of the lateness of this chapter, i hope to get the next chapter finished and updated this weekend (if i can get past this one part that I'm totally blocked on! UGH!) and of course Work leaves me the hell alone! But we'll see! So wish me luck! until then...
> 
> As always, read, review, critique, comment, rant, ask questions, post your theories and go nuts!
> 
> NEXT TIME: The multiple storms breweing have reached a standstill, and Rhebekka's beyond fed-up. Timaeus is at his wits end and when the final storm breaks Yugi finds himself thrust into a position that will test all of his resolve. Any theories? NEXT TIME!


	36. 36: Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The multiple storms brewing have reached a standstill, and Rhebekka's beyond fed-up. Timaeus is at his wits end and when the final storm breaks Yugi finds himself thrust into a position that will test all of his resolve. Any theories? NEXT TIME!

_Chapter XXXVI: Storm_

What settled next over _The Eye_ was a dreadful kind of calm that nearly had the Quartermaster screaming and wrenching her hair. In the seven days that followed, the storm that was her Trierarch and her loyal friend's marriage had reached a still kind of peacefulness that both men endured uncomfortably. What had started as a raging storm between them had dwindled to a series of small, almost hopeful battles. Yet Yugi's passive dealings with the crew and Timaeus' silent reassurances had quickly put an end to that. In those days, they'd barely spoken, save for the morning meals that Rhebekka insisted she bring herself—if only to start some kind of conversation. When they did speak, their questions were clumsy and their words awkward, as if they'd both forgotten how to use their tongues. They fell into their robotic routines with an awkward smile and a cold distance. At night, Timaeus ate with the crew and Yugi in the galley with her, and in the morning, the day followed in the same repetitive routine that left her frustrated and barely able to bite down her tongue.

While outside the marital sphere, the Great Sea had done all within her power to detour the green dragon from its destination. The wood and canvas had served well enough, but by the second day, the wind had turned traitorous. For six days, the winds had been against them and if not for the galley's many oars, they'd still be battling along Tanitic Lake's sand bed. By Day Seven, however, the wind had abandoned them completely—a perfect mimic to the cold war the ship's masters had taken. Now, here they were, eight days later and still not a breath to fill her sails. Luckily, with two hundred oars and the men to row it, _The Eye_ was far from helpless in a calm like this. She only wished her masters were the same—herself included.

"Daft and useless creatures," she groaned, burying her pale face in her folded arms, stealing a single glance over the railing. Over the side of the ship, the great cog groaned and the slow, steady swish of oars churned little waves in a slow rhythmic beat that made Rhebekka's stomach queasy and her bored brain dizzy. "Has my own marriage not taught me that?" She snorted. "Men." Even in her worst fits, she couldn't remember feeling so snappy, and yet she could not bring herself to be angry with them.

For all her raging, she knew her Trierarch and her friend well. She understood their frustrations; Yugi, she imagined, still held some lingering anger for whatever it was he held Timaeus responsible for in the conditions of their wedding. She dare not ask what it was. He would not tell her, she knew, but he no doubt felt that his own opinions and desires had become lost in the order of things, and that left him determined to stand on his own. It had left him with a new duteous zeal and a determination to prove his worth, to both the crew and himself, she imagined—and, she suspected, to armor himself against the lingering feelings that were still so clearly growing inside of him despite, or perhaps because of, everyone else's insistence that he'd ought to enjoy it because it was just advantageous and just his match. All it had done was to leave the poor lad drained and uncaring, and refusing seek aid from anyone but his own stubbornness.

The Trierarch hadn't faired any better, though the opposite were his issues. It was clear as the day was long that the Trierarch found Yugi desirable—his spirit as well as his being. How could he not? Yugi was attractive, witty, fiery, independent, clever, and downright fearless. And reckless and stubborn to the point of vexing, but they were survivalist traits as well, and everything about him called to Timaeus' nature like a predator seeking the perfect mate. To Timaeus, Yugi was a precious challenge: he was brave, he was beautiful, he was exciting, he was challenging, and he matched the Trierarch in wit and will of iron the strength of a raging fire. Timaeus was in love with him, even if the man was too new to such emotions to understand it quickly, let alone confess to them. And it was there that the issue occurred. Timaeus wanted nothing more than to shower Yugi with his affections, but Yugi denied him—not out of unrequited feelings but out of spite. Timaeus respected Yugi enough to let him decide the pacing of their marriage and his desire to handle himself, but there was only so much apologizing, sympathizing, and amend-making a man could do before his patience depleted and the frustration and pain of constant rejection made him bitter.

Between Yugi's stubbornness, the men's cruelty, and his own inability to make any change, Rhebekka was stunned her Trierarch had lasted this long. But despite that understanding, it had infuriated her. Yugi was being stubborn and embittered, and Timaeus was being passive and reprimanding, and the two of them were obstinately determined to be silent.

"Daft as the day is long!" Rhebekka growled and slammed her fist against the railing. Then she gasped when the ship swayed and her own fist wobbled. Her front crashed against the railing and her belly immediately protested on the sudden pressure. She cursed the waves as pain shot through her and bile bubbled in her throat. She clung desperately to the rail to steady herself. Instead, she caught sight of the repetitive motions of the oars and the spinning swells they stirred and could hold it back no longer. She clung desperately to the rail and retched over the side, coughing and cursing the indecisive sea.

"Never thought I'd see _you_ puking over the side of a ship," Timaeus chuckled behind her, but not unconcerned. "Yet here you are, green as a rotten fish." He handed her a towel and a cup of ale.

" _Please_." It was more a command than a plea. "Do _not_ mention fish to me." She took a swallow to clean out her mouth then downed the rest. "It's stress. What do you expect, when I have to deal with you lot?" She wiped her mouth with a harsh swipe. "Daft fools, the lot of ya." She took another swig and found the ale cup empty. She cursed and stormed past but Timaeus grabbed her wrist.

"Where has this madness come from?" he demanded, though not ungently.

Rhebekka snatched her wrist back. "I'm overworked, overstressed, and at my wits end."

Timaeus blinked owlishly. "If you're that in need of help, I'm sure Yugi—"

"Oh bloody hell, Timaeus, what do you think happened to my wits? It's your consort you should be arguing with, not me! At least then, you two would be talking!"

"Rhebekka," he said, low with warning. "I've told you—"

"Yes, yes, you want to give him space, you want him to decide what happens next, you want him to come to you, I've heard it all before," she snapped in challenge. "All the good that it's done you, hasn't it?"

Timaeus' glare sharpened, unyielding and holding no more room for sympathy or argument. "I'll hear no more of this." He turned to leave.

Rhebekka snorted. "Fine, then. I see my counsel no longer interests you," she snapped, but this time, she sounded more defeated than angry.

Timaeus stopped and turned to her. His face was stony, but his eyes flickered with something that was almost desperate. "What else would you have me do, Rhebekka? I've tried speaking with him. I've tried to be patient. And I've tried sympathizing to his wills. He will not listen. If I am any more sympathetic, I'm likely to take my own head."

"Then _tell_ him that!" she pleaded. "Make him listen. I know you care for him, and this is all difficult for you, but how can you expect him to come to you if the two of you do not speak? If you do not listen to each other?!" Her voice bled with a desperate pleading and her eyes burned with dying hope, but Timaeus could not look at her and give her the condolence she so desperately craved.

"Fine." She exhaled. Her shoulders slumped, defeated. "I will say no more." She turned and headed for the steps to the galley. "Keep him with you today. I have no need of him."

She didn't wait for Timaeus to answer, and dragged herself back to the sanctuary of the kitchen. She nearly stumbled twice and scolded the oarsmen to steady their hands. She cursed the swaying ship when her stomach once more rebelled on her. She calmed it well enough and poured herself some wine. The nausea settled, but was by no means truly tamed.

"Rhebekka?" She spun to the soft voice. Yugi was already there, carrying a basket of freshly-peeled apples she'd ordered mashed into a juice. "Are you alright?"

" 'Tis stress," she said flatly, and rubbed her sore eyes and sore temples. "What else could it be?"

"Rhebekka," he said gingerly. "If you are ill, I can—"

"I am well," she cut him off and proved so by arranging a large tray with a helping of boiled eggs, fried bread, dried dates, and bowls of porridge. Then she poured two mugs of water, pulled the apples' basket from his arms and thrust the tray in its place. "Go bring that to your husband," she told him. "I won't need your help today." She tried to stay calm. Frustrating as he was, Yugi was still a sweet boy and she had no desire to lash at him with her attitude.

"And… do what?" he gaped at her, surprised.

"I don't know," she said. "That's for you to decide." She spun him around and gently shoved him towards the door. "Eat, drink, then go and make love to your husband, that's what I suggest."

"Rhebek—" He blushed, gaped, and choked on her name, but she only shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Heaven forbid you should actually _talk_ to him." She shoved him out and closed the door.

X X X

One long, awkward walk back to the sterncastle later, Yugi found himself setting the heavy tray on the Navigation Room table and setting up the provided dishes for his and Timaeus' breakfast—his face still red from Rhebekka's jests.

When Timaeus finally joined him nearly half an hour later, he looked haggard and rubbed his temples furiously. Yugi stared at him blankly, waiting for an acknowledgement, but Timaeus didn't seem to notice him.

"Timaeus?" Yugi called to him softly. Determined as he was to stay his distance, it was not in his nature to leave the weary uncomforted. His words dropped like a stone in a well, and echoed just as dully.

Timaeus shot up immediately. He caught a whiff of food, and his eyes adjusted to the tasty spread set for two. He smiled. "Not eating with Rhebekka this morning?" he asked rhetorically, but was pleased.

Yugi shuddered. "She's in a foul mood," he explained.

"Ah." Timaeus needed no further explanation. "I'm afraid that's my fault. She's not very pleased with me." He pulled out a chair and fetched himself a plate.

"Or me, I think." Yugi unfolded his hands and fixed himself a plate of porridge mixed with honey and dried dates. The sugary taste felt odd on his bland tongue. Like a rush to his senses that died in an instant, leaving him feeling drained and weary. "Is she well?" Yugi asked, though the question was awkward on his tongue.

"I'm sure she will be fine," Timaeus said, his tone nervous and lacking its usual confident baritone. Yugi found it worrisome, though when he tried to ask the question, the words jumbled in his throat. Instead, he coughed to cover them and took a sip of mead. It did little to steady his nerves.

"Um…" He struggled, his tongue feeling heavy and clumsy in his mouth. "Are… _you_ alright?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know, and with no notion of what to say if he was answered.

Timaeus stopped and stared at him. He smiled, but it was weak and pinched. "I am well, sweetling." It was a lie and they both knew it. In truth, Timaeus was not well. His Quartermaster was displeased with him, his men were growing bolder, and yet he could do nothing to reproach them without damaging his consort's image—a consort who, even now, he wanted desperately to speak to openly, but knew in doing so would only set them back. He'd said enough and he knew Yugi was as tired of listening to it as he was of hearing it. Even the damn wind had turned against him and refused to offer even a breath to hasten their journey home, and worse, he'd lost contact with the other three ships three days ago. No, Timaeus was far from well, but he saw no need to burden his young consort with any of that. He had enough troubles of his own.

He stared down at his porridge and waited for Yugi to answer, but he said nothing. Glancing at his meal, Timaeus felt his stomach lurch and before long, even his appetite abandoned him, save for the mead.

"Are _you_ well, sweetling?" he asked. Yugi only nodded and took another bite of porridge. "You know," Timaeus heard himself stumble, his throat tense and dry. "If you are not, you can tell me. You can tell me anything."

"And you can tell me things as well," Yugi returned. He stiffened, like he half-expected Timaeus to confront him about something. But he didn't.

Odd that for all their promises and claims that they could tell each other everything, they told each other nothing.

Silence fell, heavy and deafening over the meal and ended in a strained atmosphere as many of them often did. Timaeus rose first. "Since Rhebekka does not need your help, perhaps you can take the day off to enjoy yourself?" Timaeus suggested.

Yugi blinked at him, almost dejected. "What about you?"

Timaeus hesitated. "There is an issue I must see to. It will take me much of the day."

"Perhaps… I could help you then?" He gave him a hopeful, desperate smile. Timaeus heart ached, but shook his head. His young consort had had enough grief—there was no need to burden him any further. "There is no need for that," he waved him off. "I will see to it, you use your day as you please."

Yugi frowned. His eyes narrowed and his mouth twitched the way it did when he was about to protest. Timaeus braced himself for the fire, but instead, Yugi swallowed a gasp of air and spun to the door. "Fine, I will leave you to it." He gathered the cups and plates and left.

Timaeus watched him go. _That was a stupid move!_ he snapped in his thoughts. _Now he thinks I don't think him capable…_ Or perhaps Yugi had, at long last, wanted to reach out to him, only to be turned away and frustrated? If that _were_ the case, then perhaps now he had tasted the rotten fish stuffed and grounded with ashes that Timaeus tasted nearly every night for the past ten days. It brought him no comfort. _Fool,_ he snapped again. _Of course he is not well, but he won't speak to_ me _about that._ Timaeus groaned and headed for the helm.

It was not enough. He'd placed his _shabka_ around his wrist, his cloak around his shoulders, carried himself across the threshold, and sworn Yugi his protection—but that was as cruel a jape as their wedding had been. He wanted to chase after him, to reach for him, hold him, to break through the armor of his devoir. He gladly would have given whatever solace he might, but it was no good. Yugi only pushed his comforts away and so to respect his husband's wishes, as much as it burned him, Timaeus remained silent.

 _I want him._ Timaeus admitted as he marched up the steps. _But I want him to want me as well. I want to comfort him. I want to hear him laugh. I want to see him smile. I want him to bring_ me _his joys, his woes, his tears, his smiles, and his lust._ His lips twisted into a bitter smile. _But he won't, because it would make him appear weak._

The deck was empty and quiet, save for the steady rhythmic creaking of oars and the splash and slop of water. He found himself staring at the gray water, his soul tired and his spirit weary. Ryou stood at the wheel. He flashed him a small smile, but said nothing when he arrived. For that, he was grateful.

Yet again he was reminded of his husband, distant and dutiful. _I want him to come to me willingly. Not my Quartermaster and not my Navigator,_ me _!_ He stopped and had clenched the railing so tight that when he heard a crack, he regained his senses and pulled away. Only his strict pride kept a flush of shame from his face.

Again, he turned to Ryou and smiled. "Any change in the wind?"

Ryou shook his head. "Afraid not, nor has the tide been in our favor. We'll have to charter another course."

Timaeus nodded and pulled a map from his doublet. Despite it all, he could not bring himself to hate or even be angry with either his Sailing Master or his Quartermaster. If anything, he was glad Yugi had allies, but it didn't make the pain any less bearable.

X X X

Left to his own devices, Yugi strolled into the deck in a foul mood.

He dared not venture below; not with the whole crew acting as oarsmen, and Rhebekka having one of her fits. Yet neither did he feel like venturing to the sterncastle. Not when Timaeus was no doubt handling whatever it was he needed done, without his help. It burned him, to be dismissed like a child. To be sheltered and babied. Had he not promised to let Yugi handle his own? Or had he only proven himself so inadequate that the Trierarch saw him as incapable of handling even the simplest chores? Whichever was the answer, it only made Yugi bitter and angry.

He was a Prince of Kemet. He was the Consort of the Trierarch. He was _going_ to be the Magistrate of Locri. Why was he still being treated like a child? Yugi collapsed against the railing and growled over the edge. He focused his frustration on the sea, and was suddenly overcome by jealousy. The sea was harsh, wild, uncontainable, and untamable. The sea didn't need to prove herself to anyone or anything. The sea wasn't restricted by duties and vows. The sea was pure freedom. The sea was everything he wanted and everything he would never have.

 _Or could_ , a deeper part of him said, mollifying and smooth. _She wasn't wrong, you know…_ Rhebekka's words returned to him, but Yugi brushed them aside, harsh and deliberate. He pulled himself from the railing and his hands rose to clench his head.

He needed to think. Needed to get away. He spied Ryou on the stern deck and rushed up the steps, eager for his friend's guidance. Then stopped short when he saw him glancing sideways at a map with the last person he wished to see.

"Oh, Magistrate," Ryou said politely. The map crumpled in Timaeus' fingers as he stiffened.

Tension rolled over like a thick fog, and Ryou felt it chilling his spine. "Should I leave you?" he asked hesitantly.

"No," Timaeus said curtly, and rolled up the map. "We're finished here."

He spun to Yugi who glared at him. "I thought you had the evening to yourself?"

"I have," Yugi insisted. "And I'm doing with it as I choose."

"And what have you chosen to do with it?" Timaeus crossed his arms, the hint of accusation in his tone.

They stared at each other, eyes hard and challenging. Unyielding emerald and pearl and stubborn violet.

"I want to see what's too important that my Lord husband chose to conceal it from me."

"My Lords…" Ryou stuttered uncomfortably behind the wheel. His fingers shook violently and he struggled to steer. "Mayhaps I should..."

"Stay!" They both ordered, not breaking their glare. Ryou obeyed.

" 'Tis nothing you need to worry about," Timaeus waved off, but Yugi remained, his stance determinedly stubborn. "You need not worry about me, Yugi," Timaeus insisted. " 'Tis not your duty to protect me. I am the Trierarch. You are my consort—"

"That's right!" Yugi cut him off angrily. "I am your _consort_! Not some child you need to coddle and condescend. I do not need all this 'protection' and I'm tired of it!"

"And _I_ am tired of you constantly disrespecting me like I am some jailer who's made you a prisoner." Timaeus spun on him and shot forward like a swooping shadow. His retort was sharp and damning. His voice low and dangerous. The last of his patience had snapped. "Everything you asked of me, I have done. You asked me for space and I gave it to you. You asked me to step back and not interfere with your affairs, and I did so. And I have made offer after offer of your forgiveness, yet you shun me aside like I am some sort of deviant—and if I may speak freely, _my consort_ , I am growing rather tired of constantly trying to meet your expectations, when you have done nothing to earn them."

His eyes blazed cold and piercing, daring him to protest, but Yugi was not yet vanquished.

"Nothing…" Yugi wrung his fingers like he meant to tear something. "Well… in that regard, I'd sooner be struck by lightning."

A low rumble answered him. Half a heartbeat later, the world darkened. Anger drained from both men, their faces fell to twin masks of shock and they spun to the rail. Light flashed above them, turning day to night. Clouds bubbled at the far end of the sky like an overcooked pot, but they were thick and black and announced their arrival with rolls of warning growls and cracks of light splintering like spider webs across their surface.

"Hurricane a'comin'!" They heard Otogi shout from the mast, and the ship jerked.

Timaeus rose over the ride, eyes narrowing when the shallow waves suddenly grew twice as high and twice as bold.

The sky went black and darkness descended with a thunderclap. Wind announced its arrival with a fierce howl that pulled at the sails and sent the sleeves and tail of Yugi's clothes flying in parallel lines.

"Stand fast!" Otogi called, hand held to his mouth in an echo. "Secure the riggers!"

The men wasted no time, and scattered about the ship like a swarm of spiders up the ropes. Ropes were tied tightly about their waists and they pulled them hard, securing them tightly to the mast. Another gale of wind crashed into the ship and the sails whipped wildly, causing the ship to jerk violently. Yugi felt his footing slip, and clung to Timaeus' arm for support. The Trierarch caught him in one arm and clung to the railing with the other.

"Otogi!'" he shouted, the echo of his voice loud but lost in the howl of the wind. "Secure those sails!"

"Secure all sails!" Otogi echoed, and the men set to work swinging from the high beams, the riggings pulled tight. The wind fought them fiercely, but the men were strong and so was the ship, and her sails retracted like folded wings.

Another wave crashed into the side of the ship, hard enough to send it to its side and so high, water spilled over the side. Yugi felt his feet go out from under him, but Timaeus pressed him against the wall with his body. Out of the corner of his face, he saw Ryou struggling with the wheel.

"I suppose now we know where the wind had been?" he japed over his shoulder, and both men glared at him.

"Look out!" Yugi shrieked. Ryou spun just in time for another large wave to strike from the left, sending a flood of water over the side and knocking the ship hard enough to shift it left. Thunder came and the whole night shook. The force threw Ryou back and the wheel spun wild.

Torn between protecting his charge and taking control, Timaeus pulled Yugi to him with a single order. "Take my arm!"

Yugi obeyed, and the two battled the wind. Yugi clung to the spinning wheel without fear and tried to stop it, but the sudden force knocked him forward. Timaeus grabbed it, and with a grunt of purposeful strength, made it turn. Once secured, he turned to Ryou. "Are you alright?"

Ryou tried to get up, but grabbed his head and groaned in sudden pain. "I'll be fine." His voice was weak.

Timaeus glared at him. "Don't be brash!" he snapped. "Get below now! Tell Rhebekka what's happened!"

This time, Ryou did not argue. Clinging desperately to the rail, he pulled himself to the stern's steps and forced himself down.

Yugi was about to call to him, when a light pressure squeezed his arm. Timaeus met his confused gaze with stern eyes and a grave frown. "Go with him. Stay below."

His eyes flashed. "I want to help!" Yugi protested immediately.

"I don't want your help!" Timaeus cut him off, sharp and fierce, just as another combination of wind and waves crashed into the ship, and his grip on the wheel nearly stumbled. He recovered quickly and spun to Yugi, his face red and absolute, but his eyes were pleading. "I want you safe!"

"I don't need you to protect me!" Yugi struggled desperately, his hands still clutching the wheel.

"Enough!" He cut Yugi off with such finality that for a brief second, even the wind itself stopped. So suddenly, Yugi didn't have time to gasp, Timaeus snatched his wrist like a tree root ensnaring dirt. His mismatched eyes blazed—one with anger, the other with desperation. "When I married you, I promised to keep you safe and keep you happy. I may have failed in the second, but I shall not fail the first. And quite frankly, love, I don't care whether you want my protection or not. You have it! You are _mine_ to protect, understand? Hate me all you want for it, I'm past caring, but I _do_ care for you and I _will_ see you safe! Now you can go on your own or I can carry you. Whichever will please you best?"

Caught off-guard by the bold passion of the declaration, Yugi could not speak. The words rang in his ears, loud and clear despite the roaring cacophony outside, and for an instance, he felt ashamed.

A huge bolt of lightning crackled across the sky and struck the sea. For half a heartbeat, the world was noonday bright and the claps that followed were so loud and sudden that Yugi gasped and jumped back. Timaeus' arms quickly caught him and kept him close, his armored body a shield from the vicious light. Another crash followed—this one directly overhead—and for another half of a heartbeat, the sky above Yugi's head was cracked and bleeding white. When the two faced each other again, all argument was gone from their faces, and replaced by a desperate, shelter-seeking fear.

"Go," Timaeus urged. "Now."

This time, Yugi needed no further encouragement.

When he reached the doors to the sterncastle, Ryou was already inside, a fresh bandage wrapped around his pale head like an invisible headband. "Ho, friend! This is no night to be out!"

"What can I do? I want to help," Yugi confided.

"There's not much help you can give, I'm afraid," Ryou assured him. "Torrents at sea are not like desert storms, though I imagine they are just as fierce. The sea is wild, the winds are monstrous, and there is nothing solid to keep us steady. The ship is our only shelter and even she can turn on us if we are not careful. If you want to help, go below, stay safe, and help the Quartermaster. I know Timaeus will fare much better knowing at least that you are safe."

"What about you?" Yugi asked, concerned.

Ryou gave him a weak smile. "I will be fine. It will take more than a whack to keep me down, but for now, I must keep the lifelines secure. I'm afraid I won't be much use otherwise, with the winds throwing us about."

Yugi hesitated, but nodded all the same and went below.

He did not go quietly. "Damn him!" He entered the galley in a rage. "Damn him to the depths and back so I can kill him again! How does he expect me to sit here and do nothing!?" He found Rhebekka behind the counter, her face contorted with displeasure.

"What the bloody abyss is going on up there? Please do not tell me you got into another brawl with those daft wits?"

Yugi flushed, but did not stop his rage. "There's a wicked storm out there," he explained. "And my husband thinks it's best to keep me sheltered down here while he and the crew do all the work…" He wrung his fingers, secretly glad to be away from the storm but angry at the dismissal all the same. "I'm not a damn child! I don't need to be sheltered!"

"Oh, enough out of you!" Rhebekka slammed the pot down so loud, it echoed. Yugi jumped, caught off-guard by the outburst.

Rhebekka spun to him, glaring—her emerald eyes blazing with shattered patience. "Aren't you tired of playing the martyr yet?" she retorted, roaring as loud as the thunder outside. "I will hear no more of it! If you're so frightened of your husband's feelings, tell _him_ that instead of hiding behind this lie of protection and duty, admit that you like him already and be done with it! Then maybe he'll confess to you instead of playing the pacifist to please you and actually _get_ somewhere," she paused to wheeze, her voice haggard and raw, but she did not stop. "I swear, the two of you are the daftest, most stubborn—" Her words exploded in a fit of hacking coughs so violent, she clenched the table for support.

"Rhebekka, are you alright?" Yugi jumped up to catch her, but she shoved his hands away.

"I'm fine!" she insisted hoarsely. "It's all this stress I'm dealing with!" She wobbled and Yugi caught her, her forehead flopping onto his arm.

"Rhebekka, you're burning up!" Yugi shrieked and guided her towards the adjacent door connecting the galley and the infirmary.

"Don't be daft, I can't be!" she protested fiercely, but her arms were weak and folded under her when she tried to push him away. "I've got meals to cook and potatoes to peel and fish to boil!" she screeched, shoving him away and dashed about.

"Fish?" Yugi gasped, stunned.

"Easier to dry and more nutritious than most meats," she explained. Sweat dampened her brow, her face flushed hot and red, and her eyes blazed mad and wild with fever. "Why else would your commoners eat it? 'Cause there's so many in the river? There's plenty of cattails, too, but they don't eat those, do they? Now leave me be, I'm fine. If anything, it's you two and your constant yapping making me…"

She stopped suddenly and gingerly pressed a gloved hand to her forehead. "Dizzy…" She finally collapsed.

Yugi squawked and dove to catch her. She crumbled into his arms like a collapsed tower—and just as heavy. He wasted no time in carrying her to the infirmary. She passed out long before he arrived and carefully, he laid her on one of the swinging boxes that serves as a cot. Her breathing was heavy and ragged but otherwise, she slept peacefully. He fiddled around the cabinet and fished though bottles for a cloth and tonic—anything to bring down her fever. He pressed a cold cloth to her forehead and bundled her tight.

 _Tea,_ he thought. Onion tea was good for colds, though the hem-netjer forbade it in the temples. And soup, he thought, rushing back upstairs. The pot still burned over the small fire and Yugi found the remains of several fishes boiling in the water. Once stripped down to their marrow, he carefully pulled them out with a spoon.

While tossing aside the useless bones, he thought of Timaeus outside and the men battling the elements. He imagined their weariness when they returned, battered and hungry and chilled from the icy rains. Then he remembered Rhebekka's words and set about making himself busy.

He found onions and tossed them into the broth, along with the basket of potatoes and carrots he'd peeled the day before. Donning the gloves, he cut them up into thick chunks and added it to the pot, with handfuls of barley and dried legumes. Those were nutritious, after all? And onions to prevent colds—though again, the hem-netjer forbade them in the temple. He stirred the water, adding more as he went, and blanched when he realized he'd cooked the onions with their skins.

He fished them out with a spoon, but they plopped into a mash in the bowl. A quick sample and he found himself enjoying the mushy paste and set about slicing bread for the spread. He piled up plates and let the stew simmer until then. When the broth began to bubble, the homely smell was a damning reminder of his sick friend downstairs and his husband battling the chaos outside—and here he was, bustling about the kitchen to keep himself busy.

When the soup boiled, he removed it from the fire and poured a bowl for Rhebekka, then started filling more as he went. The broth was thick with vegetables and chunks of fish. He sampled a bowl and found the onions a clever choice. The ship's rocking had reduced to steady swaying, though was still too rough for Yugi's liking. Once he was confident the pot was secured and the dishes wouldn't fall, he carried Rhebekka's meal. She slept peacefully, and he set the bowl on the table, not having the heart to wake her.

He waited upstairs for what felt like hours—his only companion the rhythm of the storm outside. The wind sang in a gentle, wooing lull, rain prickled like the pattering of thousands of marching feet, and thunder concluded each symphony with a brassy crash that shook him awake.

Then he heard the heavy clamber of boots and rose attentively. Riggers and oarsmen bustled into the galley, stripping off boots and wet mail. Their worn faces gasped at the scene. Without wasting time, Yugi grabbed one of Rhebekka's smocks and started pouring bowls. They looked at him stupidly and he fixed them with a glare.

"Are you going to stand there all day like a pack of geese or are you going to eat? I made plenty."

At the jape, several men overcame their shock and charged for the food like starving men, but others held back. One even snapped, "You made this?"

"Yes, I made it," Yugi snapped back and leaned on the counter, shoving bowls into their clumsy hands. "And what does it matter if I did? You're all hungry, I assume? Either shut up and be grateful or give it back and leave. I'm sure there are plenty of others who would be happy with it."

He didn't even humor them by waiting for a response. With a final grunt to save their pride, the rest sat down and mumbled thanks under their breath. Others forfeited it completely and asked for seconds.

Ryou was one of the last to arrive. Malik and Otogi were behind him, and Raphael was taking up the rear. At the sight of food and the one who prepared it, his face brightened and he offered his appraisal immediately. His comrades looked less impressed.

Yugi matched their glares and poured them each a bowl. They stared down at the food with arched brows like it was meant to be some obvious joke. Ryou glared at them. "Oh, for heaven's sake, can't you blokes just be grateful?!" He grabbed his own food and shoved past his two subordinates.

"What are you even doing back there?" It was Raphael who snapped. Timaeus was not among them, Yugi noticed, and that made the man bolder. "Last I checked, you couldn't even slice a carrot without cutting yourself, and now suddenly, you made a meal for a whole ship?" he retorted mockingly. Disbelief rolled off his tongue in humorous quirks. His chuckle attracted several onlookers who paused in their meals, then looked at it questionably. Yugi did not flinch in his gaze.

"Where's the Quartermaster?" Raphael snapped. "I doubt she let you off your leash."

Yugi slammed the bowl down in front of him so hard, hot soup splashed over the side and burned Raphael's hand. He pulled it back with a gasp and moved to bite, but this time, Yugi was ready.

"Your Quartermaster is ill and your Trierarch is battling the wind and you're here, yet have the gall to complain! I know none of you like me, but I'm past caring. Like it or not, I am the Trierarch's consort and I will hold that title to the best of my ability and with the Quartermaster sick, you have two choices: you can shut up and eat your hot food and be damn grateful I took the time to serve it to you instead of hoarding something for myself and my husband, or you can stop your bellyaching, roll up your gloves, go behind here and fix yourself something. Make your choice now, I haven't got all night!"

The room fell silent. All eyes were on him now, but this time, Yugi felt no shame, no embarrassment, and no failure. No, he felt powerful. Strong. Light as air, and bright as danger. And to drive the lesson home, he let his lips curl and his brows knit. Then, low and dangerous, and in a perfect mimic of their Trierarch, he said, "And let me make one thing abundantly clear to _all_ of you: I am not your comrade. I am not your serving wench or your bedside healer or gambling buddy. I am the husband of your Trierarch. I don't care if you dislike me. I don't care if you think me a spoiled child. Your opinions of me mean nothing—because you _will_ respect my rank and you _will_ respect _me_."

The silence that followed was an echo of the wind, save for the click of heavy metal boots. The room spun and Yugi saw Timaeus in the door. For half a heartbeat, he looked surprised, then his face morphed into a smile.

"And here I thought I'd have to make myself clear once more…" He entered the room with long, deliberate steps. "Perhaps even teach some of my _slower_ men a lesson." His eyes casted a glance to the still-silent Watch Keeper, but it was unclear if it was directed at him or the Boatswain and Shipwright who had yet to move.

When he stopped in front of Yugi, his face was all smiles. "But now I see there is no need. Fool that I am for forgetting how fierce you are." Without caring where they were or who was watching, he pressed an affectionate kiss between Yugi's brows, then whispered triumphantly, " _The Eye_ is yours."

When he pulled back, Yugi was blushing. Rhebekka's words came back to him and his chest hammered and suddenly, he had no appetite. Hesitantly, he handed Timaeus the bowl he'd saved.

He took it with a smile. "Now, what's all this about our Quartermaster being indisposed?"

"Daftling," Rhebekka rasped behind them. She stood in the doorway, her hair frazzled, her dress wrinkled, and her voice haggard from sleep, but her face had lost all the flush of fever. "I'm ill, not dead." She held the wooden bowl securely in one hand and sipped the soup greedily. She licked her lips, tasting the broth, then laughed. "Hmm, not bad, Yugi. I'd best be careful or you'll be doing my job better than me soon." Her laugh was rough and scratchy from illness, but all Yugi heard was the mirth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: The storm has passed but another one is just brewing in the Trierarch's chambers. Things are said. Feelings come out. Truths are shared and at long last, Timaeus and Yugi finally talk!
> 
> As always, read, reply, comment, critique, make notes, ask questions, post theories and go nuts! i can't wait to see the comments for this one!


	37. 37: Reconcile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm has passed but another one is just brewing in the Trierarch's chambers. Things are said. Feelings come out. Truths are shared and at long last, Timaeus and Yugi finally talk!

_Chapter XXXVII: Reconcile_

That night, _The Eye of Timaeus_ was alive with the rush of celebration. The storm—despite its suddenness and savagery—had passed with little destruction, and after so much longing and waiting, the stale air had finally stirred and the wind returned. At long last, the great green dragon had wind in her sails and flight as her power once more. With their bellies fat and full and their weariness gone, there was no protest when the Trierarch ordered the sails immediately released and the anchor hauled up.

Unorthodox though it was, the Trierarch insisted the ship sail through the night; the storm had worn the waves flat, so they had neither the strength nor the endurance to resist the ship and it was not worth risking the wind's favor. She was, after all, a fickle creature. Ryou had volunteered to take the wheel—the onions had rejuvenated his spirit, though the Trierarch insisted Rhebekka check for a concussion first. The Trierarch himself "volunteered" Raphael to take the first watch. He didn't dare protest. The rest of the crew celebrated with another batch of Yugi's soup, which had become affectionately nicknamed "Storm Brew" after the time and creativity of its invention. Even Malik and Otogi, as curt and unexcited as they could, swallowed their pride and asked for seconds.

It was the first time Yugi recalled since leaving port that he found himself smiling. There were still some distrustful glares and disapproving snorts, but underneath it now was a begrudging sort of gratitude that, in some way, could even be masked as respect. It was no grand leap forward—it was no certainty or guarantee of anything—but to Yugi, it could've been a leap across the Nile.

Over the clatter of bowls, the rattling of spoons, and the thunderous thumps of mugs thick with ale came the cacophony of laughter, shouts, jibs, and even a few drunk enough to start singing—and Yugi found himself at the heart of the noise and safely distanced from behind the counter. Rhebekka chomped down hard on onions and bread and drank the brew like it was ale. Yugi insisted on giving her something for her fever, but she would hear none of it.

" 'Twas sleep that was all I needed," she insisted, but Yugi didn't trust the flushed pallor of her skin. "I'm going to bed," she announced with a yawn, vaguely aware of Yugi's hesitant expression. "Don't worry yourself about me, lad," she said with a wink. "Go and celebrate with your husband. I will be fine."

Her comments stirred something in him and Yugi couldn't recall seeing Timaeus after he'd praised him with a kiss. Until he spotted him slipping through the chaos like an emerald shadow revealing itself only when it wanted to be seen. He was not too difficult to spy in his trademark silver uniform and bits of green and blue armor.

 _You are_ mine _to protect._

The words came back to him and Yugi started after him, with an urge whose origin he could not explain. Ducking and weaving his way through the crowd, Yugi caught sight of him exiting the stairs. He took two steps at a time and watched him slip through the doors to the Navigation Room.

He stopped at the doors, standing innocently and ornamentally between them—the thick wood and polished gold a perfect replica of the distance that had wedged itself so deeply between them. Yugi had built that wall himself, he knew, but now he felt it weakening and thinning under the multitude of tiny cracks. He stood there with his hands shaking, daring himself to enter or turn back, and wondering if he had the strength to do either.

It hurt. This distance between them hurt, even more under the weight of memories that were only ever pleasant and frustrating. Was it truly done? He wondered, and knew only he had the answer. Timaeus had said as much, and he felt the parts of himself that dared to hope, to dream, to leap and take a chance on the promise of loving arms waiting for him on the other side of the door—even as the other warred and raged and warned against such foolery. With its bitter reminders of protection and duty, could he truly trust those promises?

 _You are_ mine _to protect._ He had said so that night. He had said it many times before and with equal fervor, but this time, something about it spoke of duty and passion as if they were one in his heart. That he— _Yugi_ —had a place in that heart.

"Are you not coming?" The voice dropped in the silence like a stone in a well.

"Yugi?" Timaeus asked when Yugi did not answer or look at him.

His name was a distant whisper on Timaeus' lips. Yugi lifted his face and found Timaeus standing.

His smile was proud and pleased, but his eyes were lost and grieving. "You were magnificent today."

Yugi colored before he could stop himself. "T-Thank you." Then he squared his shoulders, his soul weary and tired but his mind alert and convicted. He tried to slip past him, but Timaeus was quicker. "Wait." He took Yugi's hand—the embrace so quick and gentle Yugi barely felt his fingers around his hand. His eyes were all things wounded and rueful. "Stay."

Another order. Weariness replacing agitation, Yugi wrenched his hand away. "I'm tired," he snapped, his words more fatigued than angry. "Leave me be." He quickened his steps until his hands clenched instinctively around the door handles and pulled. They didn't open. He pulled again. The doors protested with a loud wooden clang, but the locks did not yield. With a growl of vexation, Yugi wrenched harder, over and over in repetitive grunts of growling and pulling, but the wood was strong and the door was old but held firm. He finally shoved them forward with a loud, irritated curse. "Damn it!"

He didn't hear Timaeus' gentle steps approaching until strong arms encircled his waist and clasped his palms together. Timaeus' hands were warm and enclosed Yugi's completely, though not ungently. Suddenly overcome by a nameless, foreboding dread, Yugi struggled frantically. "L-Let go!" With a fierce cry, he pulled himself free and spun in his arms.

He stumbled back against the doors, but Timaeus caught him with an arm and slammed his palms on either side of him, disabusing him of any notion he might have had of escaping. As Yugi bore into the other's frozen face, he experienced a frantic moment of remembrance and how Timaeus had stood over him at their wedding: that deadness of his expression. The unbearable loss of his face, the sorrow of his guilt… He saw none of those things now. Only opposites: desperation, bewilderment, pleading love, flickering hope… He might have been someone else entirely, because his look was so full of feeling.

"Do I repulse you so much that you cannot look at me?" Timaeus' soft, fervent question startled Yugi out of his thoughts.

"Do—you—what?" Yugi stuttered like a startled animal, unsure of how to react. This wasn't the Timaeus he was used to. This wasn't the cool and controlled Trierarch whose rule was absolute. Nor was it the dutiful Guardian he had married and kept him sheltered, or the playful Rogue whose stolen kisses and sultry mischief he secretly missed. No, this being, whose eyes were all things wounded and rueful and whose frown was all things broken and lost, was the Man—the Man who'd finally shown his true face.

Timaeus deflated at once and pulled his arms away. "I don't want to fight you, Yugi," Timaeus mumbled softly, unable to articulate his words strongly. "Nor do I wish to hurt you."

The declaration only made Yugi angry. Though he knew Timaeus would not do so now, he _had_ hurt him before. This was the man who'd plucked and played his heart like a sistrum and filled his head with promises, hopes, and dreams—only to dash them all away with the stroke of his signature and whisk him off into a loveless marriage of political duty he called protection.

"Then what…?" Yugi's throat closed, choking on bitterness and resentment. He squared his shoulders and put on his anger like armor, and for a brief moment, he was able to fool himself into believing he was a match for him. That he could—what? Win another argument? He didn't want to fight him. What _did_ he want? What did _Timaeus_ want?

"Just…" Timaeus fumbled for words and trailed away, at a loss. "To talk… like we used to," he said at last. "To try and understand this. Understand us and… what happened to us." On his face was a helpless look. Yugi's anger and bravado dissolved in an instant, replaced by a weary exhaustion that nearly made him collapse. Timaeus moved hesitantly, as if to catch him, but Yugi braced himself against the door, knowing that if Timaeus touched him now—if he let those soft hands and warm arms embrace him—he'd be lost.

"What... happened…?" Yugi trembled and struggled to catch his words. All control was slipping away like water from his skin. "You _lied_ to me!" His words were small, broken things, but voluminous in their anguish. "You promised me freedom! You promised me companionship! You promised me all my dreams—" He stopped himself short and smothered his face in his hands, trembling harder and unable to stop himself. "You promised me everything… then you took it all away."

When he looked up again, he expected Timaeus to look broken and repentant—instead, he looked enraged, but not with anger.

Betrayal.

"And do you think I do not regret it?" His words were savage with heartbreaking guilt. "Do you think it does not torment me every waking hour, wondering what it was I had done that was so unforgivable? Wondering how to make amends when I don't know how to help you? Do you truly think me so cruel as to play you false when I'd wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?" His hands found Yugi's shoulders, shaking. Yugi could only stand still, frozen by shock and his own self-horror and disgust as Timaeus crumbled in front of him.

Timaeus stood on shaky legs and when he looked into Yugi's eyes again, they were wet with unshed tears—one green and ardent, the other white and ghostly. "I—" He choked on his regret. "I know you despised the hastiness of our marriage, and even I did as well, but…" Words and logic abandoned him and his tongue twisted. "Does being my Consort truly disgust you that much?"

"I—" Yugi choked. It would've been so easy to lie then. To lie and hurt him worse than he'd been hurt, but it would've been a hollow victory and he would derive no pleasure from it. "I never hated you..." Yugi confessed, his eyes downcast. "I _wanted_ to marry you…" he broke off.

Timaeus gaped in shock. For a whole moment, he just gawked at him in silence. "Then… why?" Timaeus stuttered on his own bewilderment. "W-When I asked your brother, why did—" He never got to finish.

"But you didn't ask _me_!" Yugi cut him off loudly, his face still downcast.

Timaeus blinked. "I didn't?" He pondered the statement, a mixture of horrible realization and overwhelming idiocy pooling in his gut. All those nights, he questioned on what he should do, what he should say, what he had done—what it was that had made Yugi despise their union so much, when only the day before they had been laughing. He never thought the answer was something so simple and so fixable, had he only the wit to see it. Or the stomach to ask.

Then suddenly, it melted into shameful clarity. "I didn't…"

Yugi shook his head, trembling. "You were the only one who ever asked me what _I_ wanted. The only one who _cared_ enough _to_ ask… but… you asked my brother. You asked my sister. You asked your King… but," he paused again. Only now did he realize he was shaking all over. "You never asked _me_."

A comforting weight settled on his shoulders and Yugi immediately relaxed. The soft grip of Timaeus' hands was both unsettling and surprisingly comforting. Yugi lifted his face. Timaeus' eyes shined with apologetic tears.

"I wanted to," he explained. "I wanted nothing more—but you were so upset. It broke my heart to see you like that and worse to know that _I_ was the cause of it. They told me to wait, to let you rest, let you accustom yourself to the idea..." he trailed off, like he was lost in a distant memory. "Your sister and brother knew you better than I did, so how could I argue? And I'd hoped that perhaps all you needed was time. But when you didn't, when it crossed me that you might not feel the same for me as I did for you, I was at a loss on how to help you. And truthfully, I think I was avoiding talking to you, need I upset you even further."

Yugi listened, truly listened, and his stomach twisted in knots. "You could've said something…" he trailed off, but it was a weak defense. _He_ could've said something, he realized, instead of cowering in his room, smothered in bed like hiding under it would magically save him.

"But then…" he paused, his own face flushed with shame. Oh Ra, he had run away from him, hadn't he? Ran away from Timaeus and Dartz and Mut and Pas like he ran from them whenever he was angry. Ran like a spoiled, sniveling child who didn't want to take his medicine. "So could I…"

 _I_ am _a child,_ he thought. _A selfish, stupid child._

"Forgive me," Timaeus apologized with an embrace. "I did not wish to marry you this way."

Yugi stiffened in his arms. "… Then why did you marry me?" he said hesitantly, like he was still wondering if he truly wanted to know, but the question left him before he could stop it. It had been plaguing him for so long, but he'd put it off for far too long, and he knew then that if he did not ask it now, he never would. He pulled away and met Timaeus' eyes, pleading for honesty. "Please tell me. Why did you marry me, if not for duty?"

Timaeus could only smile. "Do you really not know?" His expression softened until his smile was all adoration and admiration. It seemed like such a simple feeling—this fragile, terrifying emotion that crested inside him, and yet it was so incredibly complex he did not know how exactly to articulate it. So he told the truth. "Because I'm infatuated with you, Yugi. You astound me with your wit, your spirit, and your beauty. Your will is as strong as mine, but your temper is as fierce as a lion and your heart is just as brave. Gods above, I wanted you the moment I first saw you in Mut's temple, covered in dirt and so wild you didn't have the sense to know I wasn't an enemy and yet still you fought me as bravely and fiercely as anyone I'd ever challenged. How could I not? Everything about you intrigued me— _still_ intrigues me. You were like fire and passion and wit and courage and everything that I'd ever wanted in a challenge, all wrapped in one beautiful box."

He stopped just long enough to catch his breath. His eyes blazed and burned with so much passion that Yugi couldn't breathe. His knees weakened under him and he knew that if Timaeus said what Yugi thought he would say next, they would no doubt give out under him.

"So no, my sweet one," Timaeus said at last, brushing a loose hair out of Yugi's face, and tucking it behind his ear. His eyes were bright and ardent, and his smile was all things honest. "It was neither for duty nor for protection. I married you because I wanted nothing more than to call you mine."

That was it. Yugi's weight gave out beneath him and he collapsed in his arms, but Timaeus was quick to catch him and held him tight as he cried. His body was heavy and immovable yet his spirit had never felt so free. Like a thick mantle had been hung onto him and he was only now free from the heavy burden. He didn't truly know whether to laugh or cry. So he did both.

Timaeus sank to the floor, his heavy lover in his arms—yet, as he held Yugi crying and laughing in his grasp, he'd never felt more weightless. The invisible layers of guilt and doubt and loathing and sheer hopelessness that he'd clung to like a beloved suit of armor had peeled away, leaving him light and distorted, but he'd never felt so calm and happy.

For countless moments, they stayed like that, simply holding the other—simply laughing like they'd used to. Both were unwilling to let the moment end and the lingering questions of the next stage corrupt their peaceful bliss after so many days and nights of loneliness.

"Yugi…" It was Timaeus who broke the silence, of course. Yugi knew what his question was before he'd even asked it. "What happens now?" He knew what he wanted—he always had—but he was giving Yugi that decision. To make amends for the one that had been taken from him, and Yugi knew its intention well.

"We could start over," Yugi proposed with a blush. "Get to know each other again." Could it be like it was before? The open, honest talks late into the night, and the lingering kisses that left him breathless and wanting? Would be it be more? Yugi shivered, remembering the hot touch of Timaeus' fingers on his skin. He hoped it would. He wanted it to be—wanted it more than he'd ever wanted anything.

He remembered the prayer he'd uttered the morning his life had irrefutably changed—the morning before Timaeus came into his life. _Something or someone… that was mine alone._

"I'd like that," Timaeus agreed with a pleasant smile. His warm fingers stroked Yugi's cheek. "I'd like that very much." Yugi relaxed into the embrace, realizing then how much he'd missed it.

"Yugi." His name was a low, whispering chime, like a brass bell. Gingerly, Timaeus lifted them from the floor and—with a swift flick of his wrist—grabbed the key Yugi had failed to notice off the hook. The doors unlocked and opened welcomingly.

Timaeus spun to Yugi, his hand outstretched. "Come to bed."

Yugi blanched. He knew they had agreed to start over, and as much as the idea thrilled him, was he truly ready to accept this when his state was still vulnerable?

Timaeus blinked, then chuckled impishly. With a teasing smile, he added, "The hour is late and the day was long. I'm sure we are both tired."

Yugi blinked. "You mean… just sleep?"

"Of course," Timaeus added with a dramatic, gracious bow that was all chivalry. "What did you think I meant?"

The prince blushed.

Timaeus only laughed. Perhaps it was time to stop teasing. " 'Tis alright, love. I gave my word, did I not? I will have you willing in my bed or none at all. You have no reason to fear."

"It's not that I'm afraid," Yugi protested, furiously shaking his head. "I'm not! It's just… I…"

"You have never lain with anyone before," Timaeus finished with an understanding nod. " 'Tis alright. It's natural for a maiden to be frightened on their wedding night." He pressed a gentle kiss to Yugi's forehead and the former prince blushed deeper, despite his indignation over the term used for him. "I promised I would wait and I will." His warm thumb rubbed smooth circles over Yugi's cheek. "And when that time comes, I promise you will find only comfort in my arms and pleasure in my bed."

 _"_ _When"_ , Yugi noted. _Not_ " _if"_. Was he truly that confident? Or that certain? Yugi did not know, but he felt too light to care. He smiled, and took Timaeus' hand and gave it a small squeeze—but this time, all he felt was comfort.

X X X

A little after midnight, they'd stripped down and prepared for bed. Yugi chose the silken Locrian garment from before, grateful for the soft material against his weather-beaten skin. The storm had left the armor he'd worn damp and stiff and crusted with saltwater, and his skin felt tight even after he'd taken it off.

Yugi flopped onto the cool sheets and let the feathery-soft mattress absorb his weight. He curled against the pillows and waited for Timaeus to join him. And waited, until his eyes grew heavy and his body liquefied into the soft sheets. When he opened his eyes again, it was with a sudden jolt of not realizing he had closed them, and was disappointed to find the bed empty in the morning—then glanced out the windows and realized that the sun had not risen yet.

Yugi blinked. Timaeus was an early riser, but surely the man wasn't up _this_ early? Judging from the darkness of Nut's cloak, the dawn was still hours away. Then where—? A shuffle of movement caught his attention and he spied an all-too-familiar lump curled atop the couch, a green cape draped haphazardly over its frame.

A memory grasped hold of him, of the _last_ time he's woken up and Timaeus wasn't in his bed. "Oh, for heaven's—" Yugi rolled his eyes and threw off the sheets. Cold night air nipped at his bare feet and belly but he brushed it off as nothing more than an annoyance. His bare feet smacked against the wooden floor with agitated slaps.

"Timaeus!" he screeched in his face. Shocked awake, Timaeus rolled up, his hand grabbing open air, and he flopped at Yugi's feet in a tangle of cloth and limbs. He groaned and nursed his sore chin with a palm. He turned to Yugi with a growl and caught him smothering a snort of laughter.

"Do. Not. Say. A _word_ ," Timaeus hissed dangerously low. His face twisted into a snarl of wounded pride like an animal about to strike, but the flopped mess of his hair and his cloak tangled around his limbs completely marred the effect.

Yugi swallowed and nearly choked on his laughter. "Why are you sleeping on the couch?" he managed through restrained giggles.

With greater refinement than the situation afforded him, Timaeus stood. The cloak slithered like a serpent from his lap and pooled at his ankles, exposing pale, scarred skin—naked save for the night pants he wore. Yugi fought the urge to blush. "Well?" he demanded.

"Since my presence made you nervous, I thought sleeping apart would be more to your comforts," Timaeus said, and bent to retrieve his mantle from the floor.

Yugi stared at him blankly. Just then, he realized that not one night had he felt the bed dip with the other's arrival, nor shift from his departure. "Timaeus?" Yugi reeled in his shock. "Are you saying… that you've been sleeping on the couch since our first night?"

Timaeus did not answer, but the uncomfortable shift in his eyes spoke more answers than a thousand words. He turned away, a color akin to a blush dusting his cheeks. "It matters not. It is late and we are both tired. Let us retire." At Yugi's hesitant look, he added, "Do not fret. I am comfortable here." He laid himself down and covered himself again with the mantle.

Yugi just stood there, unsure whether to be touched or insulted. Knowing the other had willingly sacrificed his own comfort to avoid causing him distress comforted him more than he imagined it would, but the truth of that also filled him with shame—that the other had needed to do such a thing in the first place.

Yugi resolved himself then. There was no need for such a division now, and he'd be damned if he'd let another barrier rise between them when the first had only been freshly torn down.

"Very well," he steeled himself and slid next to him. "Move over?"

"Wh—?!" Timaeus squawked and stumbled backwards in his seat until he hit the rough wood of the backrest. He tried to protest but Yugi had already slid under the blanket and was wedged tightly against his skin. Barely big enough for one person, the couch was a tight fit and Yugi had to press himself against the curve of Timaeus' chest to lie comfortably enough.

He hadn't failed to notice the heat coming off the other's scarred chest or the way the powerful muscles curved and molded under his hands and cheeks, and he shivered under it. Red dusted his face, but he couldn't have fought it if he tried. When he breathed, he inhaled the man's scent, and he smelled like the sea: with the sharp pang of salt and the fresh, open air of freedom.

Timaeus shifted to sit up, and Yugi floundered, nearly landing on the other's lap. "Yugi!?" Timaeus caught him by the shoulders and sat him on his knees. "What are you—?"

"What?" Yugi cut him off. His face was bright pink and his mouth set in a pout. "We just promised to start over, did we not?" He forced himself to meet Timaeus' eyes, but it was difficult to focus when the other was so close and clad in almost nothing. "And… we are married, aren't we?" He tried not to stammer. "And the Locrian custom is for husbands and consorts to sleep together so… shouldn't we at least share a bed?" He gazed down at their location, then amended, "Or a couch?"

Timaeus stared at him, stunned. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He tried again but only managed, "I do not wish to make you uncomfort—" before Yugi cut him off with an aggravated groan.

"Oh, _stop_." He nearly shoved the other down. Overcome by surprise, Timaeus flopped onto his side. Yugi exhaled a breath and lied down next to him, but the couch was still small and he had to curl against Timaeus' side to keep from the edge. "You don't have to keep protecting me, you know," he said softly and pressed his face into the other's chest. "I know you said that I am yours to protect, and I'm grateful for that, but I can take care of myself, too, and…" He rose slightly and managed to pull himself into a half-kneeling, half-sitting position that allowed him to meet Timaeus' eyes. "I—" he started, and looked at his hands. He took a moment to collect himself, then said, "I want you, too."

Timaeus blinked then smiled. His gentle hand slid under Yugi's jaw and lifted his face. His lips graced Yugi's in a gentle kiss that the other willingly returned after a small gasp. His body flushed with heat, and Yugi felt his senses abandon him then return, heightened and incredibly sensitive. Every touch sent fire through his body and left a burst of heat that chilled once the fingers pulled away, galvanizing him awake and demanding more. His hands rose to clench Timaeus' shoulders and instead, found the rough muscles of his chest. Delicate fingers spidered over mountains of scars and flesh and bone that should've intimidated him, but instead, only excited him. His eyes fluttered close and he pulled himself flush against his husband.

Lost in the sweet sensation of Yugi's lips after so long, Timaeus abandoned all thought and let this feeling take over. The sweet softness of Yugi's lips against his, the touch of his smooth skin under his rough fingers, the other's soft, pale body pressed and perfectly molded against his larger, harder one—they were all intoxicating. The touch of Yugi, the _feel_ of Yugi, was like a drug that robbed him of all care and coherent thought, and left only his sense of pleasure so heightened and alert, he felt drunk from it. Timaeus' arms wrapped around Yugi's slim waist and slithered up his sides and down his back. Though disappointed he wasn't touching skin, he felt every curve of flesh and bone through the silks and his hands trembled. Yugi was all softness: soft lips, soft skin, soft curves, and all of it melted in his arms like Timaeus was holding air and he tried desperately to grab hold of it.

Timaeus pulled Yugi close the same time Yugi pressed against him, and the new angle shifted their weight and they fell back against the couch in a swift fluid motion that ended with Timaeus on top and Yugi beneath him, their hands locked and their kiss unbroken. They pulled away only to breathe and air escaped them in heavy bursts, and yet both felt weightless. Weightless like they were floating in water, drowning, and had no desire to swim and leave this fluid, liquid place.

They didn't kiss again. Instead, they lied there, curled together—perfectly fitting into one another like the pieces of a puzzle. Yugi pressed his cheek against Timaeus' chest and the other stroked his hair with soft, delicate touches that made him giggle.

"Quite persuasive, aren't you?" Timaeus teased.

Yugi snorted but did not move from his spot. " _You_ kissed me," he protested.

"And _you_ kissed me back," Timaeus countered. "Though I am pleased you did. I have longed to kiss you again."

Yugi blushed at the statement and pushed himself deeper against the man's chest to hide it. Warmth radiated from his makeshift pillow, but it was a different kind of warmth from what he was used to. Different, raw, and surprisingly comforting. "You _are_ my husband. I should like you kissing me."

"Ah." Timaeus gave a gasp of mock surprise and triumph. "So you _do_ like me?" he teased.

Yugi blushed deeper, then snorted. "I _did_."

He felt Timaeus deflate. "As in you don't now?"

There was no masking the sadness, and hearing it made Yugi sit up, immediately guilty but unsure how to articulate his feelings. So he decided to tell the truth. "I'm not sure. I _do_ like you when you're not acting all commanding, but," he paused. "I don't know you. I mean, I know _you_ , but I know almost nothing _about_ you. I've heard rumors and tales: that you were raised by a dragon, sprouted full grown from the sea, saved the king from pirates…"

Timaeus laughed, and to Yugi's delight, it was a merry one. "Oh, I'm afraid I am not as exciting as the tales. I was born just like any other man. I had a father, a mother, and a pleasant childhood."

"And after childhood?" Yugi asked curiously.

Timaeus' expression dropped to a frown. "That is not a tale I like to tell." It was curt and unelaborate, but the words were honest and the tone was sweet. For Yugi, it was enough.

Yugi couldn't remember lowering his eyes, but he felt Timaeus' warm fingers brush his face and redirect his gaze. On his face was a soft smile. " 'Tis nothing against you, my sweetling," Timaeus explained. "There is much of my past I am not pleased with. I consider Locri my home now and my present life. I have no need for the pains of the past. It is my own and I have made my peace with it."

The response saddened him, but Yugi nodded his head respectfully.

"But…" Timaeus added and Yugi immediately perked up. "Perhaps one day, sharing the tale will not be a burden if you are there to listen." Yugi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He chose to laugh.

"Perhaps," Yugi teased with a giggle of touched delight, "I will be interested enough to listen."

"Is that a challenge, little one?" Timaeus eyes lit up, recognizing their old game.

"Mayhaps it is," Yugi rolled away and flashed him a teasing smile.

"Well, then…" Timaeus' arm slithered around Yugi's waist and pulled him close. With a cry of shock and excitement, Yugi found himself crushed against the other's chest, his back pressed to the cushions and Timaeus on top of him. "I suppose I'll just have to try harder to change that."

Yugi blushed, heart pounding and lungs constricting with excitement. He held his breath and waited for the passionate ravish the devilish fire blazing in Timaeus' emerald and pearl eyes promised.

Timaeus pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. Yugi exhaled and liquefied in an instant, but he did not feel disappointed.

Timaeus only chuckled, admiring how perfectly Yugi's body curved into his. His smaller, softer frame, modeled against his tougher and harder one like it was meant to be there. _So perfect._ Yugi was not a shy thing, he noted—passion came easily enough, but affection was something he was still new to. He would need a gentle awakening. "And…" Timaeus teased, wrapping his arms around Yugi's waist tightly.

"As your _husband_ , I reserve the right to hold you. _Just_ hold you if that will ease your mind."

Yugi flashed a stubborn face, but there was no masking the pleasure Timaeus found there. With a proud nose, raised high, he relented, "I guess that's alright." And proceeded to snuggle into Timaeus' chest.

For the first time since their wedding night, both husband and consort slept peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so proud of this chapter! and i'm so happy its posted! i waited SO long to write it and DAMN it had so many awesomescenes in mind and once i tackled the hell of the beginning (transition is my weakness) it was GOLD! i LOVED writing this chapter so much!
> 
> It was so much fun to write: espeically that couch scene :) it just fit so much to get some equality back into their relationship.
> 
> I'm also very proud of their reconcile, especially because of how even it was :) they were both at fault and it took the two of them to work through it. Also someone mentioned Timaeus on his knees, which i honestly didn't think fit cause then it could seem more like he was to blame and Yugi wasn't at fault but somehow that still ended up happening but i kinda liked how it came out.
> 
> Overall, i am just so deliriously happy with this chapter! i'm gonna have SO much fun writing the rest of this story. Four more chapters and then the Ocean Arc is DONE and about 5 maybe 6 after that Part II will be concluded. so my goal is to finish the Ocean Arc by New Years. Ambition is to finisht the whole thing but work has been evil but I have a christmas vacation coming up and i am definitely inspired!
> 
> Next twp chapters are written and beted! and as a special gift to everyone the next chapter will be posted Next Week!
> 
> As always read, review, reply, comment, critique, ask questions and have fun! i can't WAIT to see the reviews for this one!
> 
> NEXT Time: A supposedly disappointing morning leads to an entirely unexpected-and steamy-surprise, and after an unorthadoxed bonding experience, Timaeus and Yugi decides to make a few "amendments" to their agreement.


	38. 38: Bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A supposedly disappointing morning leads to an entirely unexpected-and steamy-surprise, and after an unorthadoxed bonding experience, Timaeus and Yugi decides to make a few "amendments" to their agreement.

_Chapter XXXVIII: Bath_

When Yugi awoke again, arm hanging limply over the edge of the couch, dawn had already risen. He rolled over, one arm outstretched to cuddle closer to the warm body next to him, and was disappointed to feel only the rough, empty couch cushions. Startled awake, he propelled himself up and confirmed that he was alone on the furniture. How Timaeus had managed to slip away _without_ stirring him was a mystery that left Yugi bewildered and utterly intrigued. His cloak had been left behind and it offered Yugi some comfort in the absence of his husband. He reached down and pulled it tighter around himself—the couch infinitely colder without its supposed second occupant. He tossed and rolled onto his back and side, but the extra space did nothing to ease his discomfort. Sleep would not come again and the terrible truth of the stiff cushions and broad, wooden frame never being comfortable without Timaeus' arms around him made itself known. Yugi flopped onto his stomach and surrendered.

Awake and irritated, awareness settled over him in alarming, discomforting clarity. His skin felt tight and itched where the rough fabric brushed it and smelled like salt. His hair felt stiff and stringy against his neck. His hands felt thick and sticky from dried vegetable juice, and his face was damp and dirty. Even the light silks against his dirty skin made him feel filthy.

"A bath," he decided, shivering with disgust. "I need a bath." He should've taken one last night, had he not been so tired. Hopping up and quickly stripping himself of the silks, he wrapped the mantle around himself and opened the doors to the washroom the way he did every morning after Timaeus assumed the Trierarch's role—

—just as Timaeus, naked and with his back to the door, upended a basin of water over his head.

Yugi's face suffused with so much color, he could feel the heat radiating off his cheeks. The cloth dropped from his hands. It landed with a soft sound Timaeus did not hear. Water glistened off his skin, illuminating each pale white or angry brown scar. Free of his armor, Yugi saw only corded muscles, broad shoulders, and a strong chest that tapered to firm hips and powerful thighs which made his insides quiver—nothing left to the imagination.

The elder threw back his wet hair like a veil, scattering raindrops in Yugi's direction, and brushed a few stray, wet locks from his face. Yugi held his breath, neck burning even redder.

"Tim—" he squeaked and covered his mouth.

His sharp ears catching the tremulous sound, Timaeus whirled over his shoulder. "Yugi?" He blinked in surprise. His eyes fell to the mantle pooled at Yugi's feet, the way his lithe frame enclosed over itself—legs trembling and thighs pressed closed, and arms strategically positioned over his chest. Perplexing as it was, the voluptuous sight of his little one's supple, buxom body—naked and flushed in all its curvaceous glory with its most promising parts teasingly hidden—made his mouth water and his skin burn with hunger. He moved to spin around but Yugi jumped, squeaking louder and shaking his head furiously. Timaeus stopped with a confused blink. All thoughts of wooing vanished in an instant. "Yugi?" he mellowed his voice, perplexed. Why was he still trembling?

Face burning redder, his hands slipped higher muffling Yugi's words. He tried to organize the babelism of his brain, but it was difficult to think, to form thoughts, to form _words_. Timaeus needed to step back, he needed—

"Shenti." Yugi squeaked out the only word his currently-limited vocabulary found appropriate.

Timaeus blinked, then reddened with realization. "Oh." He quickly grabbed a small towel and secured it around his waist. When he turned around, Yugi's hands were covering his face and the cloth was still pooled at his feet.

Timaeus chuckled and surveyed the beautiful body, naked all but for his small clothes. His gaze slid smoothly from that pink face—the round cheeks blushing cutely—down his slender pink neck, and slim, graceful shoulders. His raised arms hid the best parts of his chest, but Timaeus drank in the sight of his soft sculpted stomach, soft pink thighs, smooth honey-cream legs, and dainty feet. Then his eyes swept back up the beautiful frame—looking pale, small, and soft, yet curvaceous and supple. He licked his lips in approval.

"Beautiful," he breathed out the compliment huskily.

Yugi pulled his hands away and blushed for a different reason. His startled eyes morphed to a glare but he struggled to keep it when he caught Timaeus' hungry gaze on him. All blazing eyes and caramel skin and looking absolutely magnificent, dressed in only water and a small cloth.

Timaeus gave a light-hearted chuckle and a husky smile. "We _are_ married, are we not?" he repeated Yugi's own words and Yugi's face turned redder. "We would've seen the other's natural flesh eventually." He took slow steps towards him, sounding soothing. "And it is not as if we haven't seen the other in a similar state before."

Yugi fought the urge not to breathe when Timaeus' hand rose to rub his cheek.

"Is it uncommon for couples to bathe together?" Timaeus asked, letting it linger.

Yugi shook his head.

Timaeus smiled and sat down on a small bathing stool next to an empty basin, a scuttlebutt of water, and a series of small brightly-colored bottles in a basket. He patted his thigh invitingly. "Come, let me wash your hair."

Yugi registered the gesture with a growl and remained firmly rooted in place. Arms crossed stubbornly over his chest.

"Come here, you stubborn boy," Timaeus said with a curled finger and an eyebrow elegantly arched in warning—the message clear.

Yugi huffed indignantly at the other's smoldering eyes, blazing not with anger or annoyance but desire. The cold shiver that ran down Yugi's spine was a cross of excitement and fear. It tempted him more than he dared to admit.

Timaeus' eyes softened to a warm smile and Yugi's resistance melted. With as much reluctance as he could manage, Yugi shuffled towards him and plopped down on the stool with his back to the seductive Trierarch, his proud nose arched high.

Then he shrieked when a basin of water was upended over his head. Drenched and wet, he braced himself for the incoming cold, but found it surprisingly lukewarm. It was not unpleasant. He watched Timaeus stand and refill the basin by dunking it into the scuttlebutt. He placed it on the floor and removed a washcloth and a purple glass bottle from the adjacent basket.

He submerged his hands in water, poured a generous amount of the bottle's contents onto his palms in a swift fluid motion, and rubbed his hands together, creating bubbles. The smell of alkyne and lavender assaulted Yugi's senses. He motioned his finger in a small circle. Yugi stared at the sudsy hands suspiciously but obeyed. He sat rigidly and waited.

Strong fingers wove through Yugi's hair, rubbing in slow, soothing circles. Used to having his hair washed by servants and handmaids' scratchy nails, Yugi hadn't expected Timaeus' fingers to be so gentle—massaging his locks into a rich lather. Yugi bit back a moan, but leaned back into the touches.

Timaeus smirked behind him. Stubborn little thing, his consort was, but Timaeus did not mind. He readjusted his position and flexed his fingers in repetitive, vertical lines.

Yugi shuddered under his fingers and found himself remembering the way Timaeus' fluttering kisses burned his lips, the way his gentle touches left a blistering heat on his skin, the way his hands roughly held his hips and teased his sides, and the brazen _feel_ of his body pressed almost lovingly against his. Not for the first time, he wondered—what would it be like to make love to a man like this? A man who was as handsome as he was virile? Yugi imagined he would be passionate, if his fervent kisses were any indication, but would he be tender? Or would he be rough? Would Timaeus touch him gently and just enough to awaken Yugi's desire, or tease him mercilessly with kisses until he was wet and wanting? Or would he take him wildly and with so much passion Yugi lost himself in the throes of it? Would he kiss or would he bite? Which one did Yugi _want_ him to do?

Yugi shivered again. Timaeus' fingers scratched intricate patterns across his scalp, followed by a gentle brushing back of his hair. Yugi responded with a shudder of ecstasy. Feeling those fingers on his scalp, Yugi decided that if Timaeus made love the way he washed hair and made it just as pleasurable, then he would take either.

"Close your eyes." The warning was a husky whisper in his ear. Yugi's eyes popped open. A chunk of froth flopped on his nose. Timaeus brushed it away gently. "Lean your head back," he instructed.

Arching his back and craning his neck, Yugi obeyed. Timaeus placed a gentle, wet hand over his eyes, and with the other, dumped a basin of warm water over his frothy hair. He continued the process, brushing the locks gently.

"My, my, you have so much hair," Timaeus teased. It was several buckets later until he finished. "Now hold still and let me wash the rest of you."

Timaeus smirked and pressed a palm to Yugi's back, motioning him to sit straight. Yugi jumped up and sat still. Timaeus grinned at the challenge and started spidering his fingers across Yugi's scalp, his touches varying: some were tender and soft, others were quick and fleeting, and some rough with want, but all of them carried the perfume of lavender and bubbles. At last, Yugi moaned loudly and relaxed into the touch.

Timaeus smirked. His skin prickled with pride. He removed his hands from Yugi's hair and rinsed them in the basin. Over his shoulder, Yugi watched him submerge the washcloth in water and rub his hands together, creating a lather. Timaeus' hands returned, this time washing the back of his neck, scrubbing gently along his shoulders and rubbing small, tantalizing circles down Yugi's shoulder blades and back. Yugi shuddered in delight, feeling the wet cloth and strong hands work down his back, around his hips, slip towards his thighs—Yugi exhaled a sigh and then inhaled sharply, nearly drunk on the gentle caresses, the perfume of bubbles, and the tingling sensation that came with the pride of being desired—only for those hands to pull away to scrub his legs.

Yugi's eyes popped open. He spun to protest and was met with another waterfall of water washing over his skin, stripping away the dirt and soap and leaving the skin soft and creamy.

Yugi shook his wet hair, scattering raindrops, and ran a hand through the midnight locks—surprisingly soft even when wet. "Thank you," he praised, and caught the triumphant smile pulling at Timaeus' lips and the desire burning in those bi-colored eyes of emerald and pearl.

Yugi's own face pulled into a proud smirk. Still, he wasn't ready to give up the game just yet.

He threw his wet hair back like a veil, sending a shower of water. Timaeus leaned back, barely missing the wet veil. A few stray strands smacked his cheek with a wet slap. Yugi arched his chest and rolled his chin seductively over his shoulder. "But don't start thinking I'm so easily won," he boasted proudly. "I'm not some docile maid you can swoon. It will take far more than that to seduce me."

Timaeus laughed, low and sultry. Then his face hardened—his smile wicked and his eyes blazing and wild. "Oh, Yugi." Timaeus leaned forward, the name rolling off his tongue—a deep, sonorous glib with all the ease of someone well-versed in such arts. His arms snaked up Yugi's legs and crept up his thighs. "Did I not tell you once?" One hand stayed there, the other wrapped tightly around Yugi's waist. "If I was trying to seduce you…" He wrapped his arms around Yugi tighter and pulled Yugi into his lap—their chests flushed against the other and excited amethyst blazing straight into burning emerald, wild with desire. His voice dropped dangerously low. "You would _know_ it."

He slapped Yugi's thigh gently.

A shiver raced up Yugi's spine—his skin tingled when Timaeus pulled away. The new position gave Yugi a delicious view of Timaeus' chest: every angle, every curve, every hill and valley of aged, cut muscles and every terrifying and enticing scar. Yugi sat staring, taking in Timaeus' long, lean outline. Small faint scars decorated the strong muscles of his arms and were speckled all over his upper torso. They were almost as many on his back, but these were larger and much more cruelly delivered: long thin strips of pale white, thick gashes from swords and knives and stab wounds, and one large dent covered almost the entire junction between his collar and left shoulder. Yugi inhaled sharply, wondering where it had come from. What was its story? The pain it must have caused him… A hand rose subconsciously to touch it; it felt dry and rough under his fingers. His fingers then wandered to the other scars. Each one told a darker story than the one before. It made him wonder—why were there so many? What had he done to deserve them, if anything at all? Did he have the courage to ask?

Timaeus chuckled, breaking Yugi's concentration. The boyish smile on his face was playful and curious. "Tenacious, aren't you?"

Yugi did not smile. "How did you get this scar?" Yugi asked, gently rubbing the large blemish.

Timaeus' acts of wooing stopped immediately. His face turned blank.

"Why do you want to know?" he demanded, voice thick with reluctance.

Yugi was unfazed. "Why won't you tell me?" His hard eyes met Timaeus'. Neither flinched.

Then Timaeus looked away. "It's not something I tell most—"

"I'm not most," Yugi cut him off. He spun around in Timaeus' lap, facing the other completely. His smile softened and he lifted his hands to cup Timaeus' cheeks. "We promised to start over. No more secrets. I won't pry if you can't tell me yet, but can I know some?" His eyes lowered to a long thing sliced across his left pectoral. His long fingers traced the thick knife scar. "Were you stabbed?"

"No." Timaeus smiled, taking Yugi's hand and rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "I received this during a scuffle I had with a pirate during my days as a merchant."

"You fought pirates?" Yugi gasped with amazement then paused with realization. "You were on a merchant ship?"

" 'Twas my second home," Timaeus nodded, retrieving a wet cloth from the basin and continued to wash Yugi's chest and sides. "After my parents—" He paused, his voice trailing off.

"Died," Yugi finished. Timaeus neither confirmed nor denied the answer.

"I was… young… when I lost them," he replied, but said no more.

"And this one?" Yugi asked, changing the subject. He traced a small scar on his lower abdomen. It wasn't pale like the others, but dark and crisp like a stain with paler scrapes inside.

Timaeus smirked. "I got that one the day I met my first love."

Yugi pulled away, violet eyes glazed over with jealousy—the demand evident in the scowl of his lips.

Timaeus smirked. "No need to trouble yourself," he teased. "It only happened because some brazen fool wished to impress her by taking on an opponent twice his skill and twice his strength."

"Let me guess, you stopped the fight and saved him?" Yugi retorted.

Timaeus laughed. "Of course not! _I_ was the brazen fool trying to impress her."

Despite himself, Yugi chuckled.

"At last, a smile," Timaeus teased, poking his stomach. Yugi tried to stifle his giggles and push his hands away, but Timaeus was quicker and crushed the boy to his chest instead. The silence that followed was short and calm, but Yugi's pout remained.

Sensing his disappointment, Timaeus brushed his wet hair gently from his face and added, "Rest well, little love. It was over long ago."

"No," Yugi said at once, cross and pouting.

Timaeus sighed. "It was not a true love I felt, though at the time, I thought I was—but you always do when you're young and foolish."

Yugi continued to pout.

Timaeus snorted. "Don't be such a martyr. You are neither so young nor so innocent that you have not had your own affairs, even if none were intimate."

Yugi shot up and blushed.

Timaeus smirked. "May I ask who?"

"They—" Yugi protested, face red and nose pointed high. "—are no longer important."

"I thought not," Timaeus chuckled.

He dropped the vials in the basket, the basin on the table, and the washcloth on a drying wrack, then handed Yugi a large dry towel before taking another one for himself. They dressed separately; Timaeus donned a clean under-armor complete with his gloves and boots but left the mantle where it laid. Yugi fished through the silks and clothes before finally settling on the under-armor he'd worn the previous day. It was slightly damp and smelled of salt, but he wore it anyway, and placed the silks in a pile on the bed.

"You know you are going to have to get used to those eventually?" Timaeus teased as Yugi struggled with the links.

"I never said I wouldn't," Yugi countered. "When we reach Locri and I'm officially your consort, I'll wear all the silks and lavishing clothes that befit a Magistrate, but for now, I don't have a lot to wear and your men still doesn't trust me. I'll do whatever little things I can do to earn their respect."

Timaeus looked stunned, then smiled proudly. "Well, you are certainly on the correct path in that regard." He swooped behind Yugi to help him with the ties in the back. Yugi surrendered and accepted the help.

"But perhaps," Timaeus added, tying the last knot. "We could hasten the efforts."

Yugi spun to him. "How so?"

Timaeus grinned. "Well, as you _are_ my consort and this ship is as much yours now as it is mine and you will need to learn how best to govern it in my absence," he began, pausing. Yugi's eyes perked with an almost disbelieving hope. "I think from now on, I'd like it if you accompanied me in the running of this ship. 'Tis only fair we share the responsibilities, after all."

Yugi's entire frame brightened then, with a delighted shriek, he launched himself into Timaeus' arms and hugged him tightly around the middle. Timaeus almost stumbled as he caught him but returned the embrace. The bright face and joyous smile made his heart pound and flutter all at once and he resisted the urge to kiss Yugi right there and then. Time for such delights would come later.

"Of course," he added, brushing his fingers through Yugi's soft, damp hair. "There _will_ be a few… conditions." He let the last word linger.

Yugi pulled away with a tilt of the head and a suspicious glint that rivaled an imp's.

"First of all," Timaeus began, his tone firm. "No more of this hiding—and don't deny that you do it," he said and rose a stern finger. "If we're going to know one another again, then we can't have you locking yourself away when you're angry. Fair?"

Yugi nodded. "That seems pretty standard."

"And as a reward…" Timaeus lips twitched into a small smile. "You'll be free to roam about as you wish—without my or Rhebekka's guidance."

A new emotion brightened Yugi's eyes. It took Timaeus a moment to recognize what it was: august approval. "About time." Yugi covered the words up with a quick quirk of the lips.

"Secondly," Timaeus ignored the commentary, "As we have already agreed, no more secrets, but I'd also like to add that we be more…" He paused to find the correct word. "Open with the other about things." Then he added sternly, "I mean it, no more hiding your thoughts and concerns because you think I might not care to listen. I do and always shall."

Yugi blinked, then looked up with a giggling smile. "Alright," he said, then lifted a finger and jabbed it pointedly into Timaeus' chest. "But I expect the same from you. No more hiding things from me because you believe it will keep me safe or you don't want to trouble me." He placed a hand on his hip. "If we are going to be Magister and Magistrate, as well as husband and consort, your responsibilities are mine as well."

The stern determination of his gaze fostered no room for negotiation.

Timaeus beamed with pride. "I can deny you nothing, but…" He lifted his own quick finger and his lips pulled into a smirk. "On one final condition." His smile had not faltered, but the tone held more gravity than all the words before them had.

Yugi stiffened and nodded.

Timaeus swooped forward and sealed their deal by stealing a long, passionate kiss from Yugi's surprised lips. His startled heart immediately melted into the fiery sweetness of it, then moaned with disapproval when Timaeus pulled away, licking his lips.

"I expect a kiss at least once at dawn," he counted on his fingers, "a second at dusk, and a third at night."

Yugi smirked and licked the fiery taste from his lips. "I can agree to those terms."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter! I was able to make it pleasantly salacious, but focusing on the bonding and trust building between them without it becoming too sexualized...and if you'll remember from their time in Kemet, this is not the first time they've seen the other naked, hell Yugi only eve wore a shenti most of the time, so its not too far of a stretch, but they DID JUST reconcile so i wanted it to be more of a chance for them to start over, build trust and of course learn more about Timaeus.
> 
> Another reason, is some people have complained about Timaeus calling Yugi "consort" instead of "wife". There is a reason for that: Consort, means literally, spouse or partner, either a wife or a husband, there is no gender-specific term. Since Yugi is a boy, Timaeus calls him Consort, as a replacement for wife because Yugi doesn't like be referred to as "womanly" so for him its a term of respect. It has nothing to do with power, yes, consort also refers to one married to one with power but who has no political power, but this is not the case. Whenever Yugi's position or status is referred to they use Magistrate. So I wanted to clarify that. Timaeus calls Yugi his consort as a means of affection.
> 
> One other thing I wanted to mention with a lot of the semi-lime situations between them-is it REALLY that surprising? Yugi's from kemet which was an incredibly open society, sexually, i know we haven't reached Atlantis yet, but given its advancements i imagine it would be quite similar. Also, sex in ancient times wasn't the same as it was today. Regardless of how marriages occurred, whether either party was willing etc. Sex was part of it, like regardless of your feelings on the marriage, you had to have a wedding night, one because a consummated marriage can't be annulled, two, more obviously, you needed heirs and you weren't gonna get legal ones unless you "did your duty" and more importantly it was considered a right, not just for men but for woman as well. If a woman didn't sleep with her husband she "denied him his right" not just to her body, but also his right to his entitlement, aka her dowry and whatever lands she brought to the marriage (again goes back to consummating the marriage making it legal), but also if a man couldn't consummate the marriage then people would think he was impotent or unable to "do the deed" which was not only insulting to him, but also bad for business since it made him appear weak and feeble (and there were plenty of men throughout history who WERE impotent or too scared to sleep with their wives). More importantly, it was considered an insult to the woman if there was no wedding night: especially in 1000 BCE before Athens, woman's ability to create life was held in incredibly high regard: Egypt, the fertile Crescent, ancient Islam, the Greek colonies (accept Athens), especially the Spartans who considered woman's ability in such regard that death in childbirth was considered to be the highest and most honorable death for woman like dying in war was for men. The expression "Childbirth is to woman what war is to men" originated from this belief as well as the fact that woman risked their lives every time they gave birth to bring children into the world the same way men went to war to defend their homes and children. What does this have to do with the wedding night? Simple: because woman were held in such high regard if a men was not sexually attracted to his wife or didn't sleep with her, it was considered an insult to her, saying she wasn't worthy of having children, or was too ugly and unattractive. So basically it boded bad for both parties if a marriage went unconsummated.
> 
> In the case of Timaeus and Yugi, however, Timaeus, because he's honorable chose to wait until they arrive at Locri to consummate the marriage because the Locrian tradition is for the Bridegroom to spirit away the bride from her home and carry her to the new home they will share together, course, we ll know that's also an excuse because he knows Yugi's was upset with him and he wanted to earn his trust back, first, which alone is HUGE because woman did not have this right.
> 
> And most obvious, they're boys in love: Yugi is 19 and still a virgin and Timaeus is 27 and in his sexual prime, they're both hot, they KNOW they other is hot and they're attracted to each other: of course they're gonna be horny and wanting to experiment, but they're not ready for full-blown sex and they both know it-so this is a way to help thm get to that point. Its not about having sex its about forming a connection not just on an emotional one but a sexual one, that's love and real life, is always changing, keeps you guessing and drives you crazy but you wouldn't change it-that's how i see Timaeus and Yugi, and that's what I'm trying to show.
> 
> NEXT TIME: Yugi's Trierarch training begins with a few surprises. Timaeus learns something new about his beloved bride and a little secret of Yugi's makes itself known.


	39. 39: Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi's Trierarch training begins with a few surprises. Timaeus learns something new about his beloved bride and a little secret of Yugi's makes itself known.

_Chapter XXXIX: Memories_

They sealed the agreement with another kiss, though it was quicker than the last one and not as intense. But it was more than enough.

When they pulled away, Timaeus' gaze slid to the freed laces spilling around Yugi's neck. "And we'll start with the art of proper attire." He motioned with his forefinger in a circle. Yugi spun around with a small pout and let Timaeus fix the loose laces. "What will people say if I cannot keep my consort properly clothed?" he teased overdramatically.

"I'll need an actual wardrobe if we're going to do that," Yugi teased back, only half-serious. "I don't have many outfits." Then he thought curiously and looked over his shoulder. "Why is that?"

Timaeus froze, his fingers suddenly all thumbs. "Well," he cleared his throat, trying not to stutter, and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "As you were still getting used to the idea of being Magistrate, I didn't want to force Locri's attire on you. However, I also didn't want you clinging to the attire of your old home for too long. I had no doubt it made you more comfortable, but it would help you little in the coming days."

Yugi laughed—Timaeus looked so different, like a child trying to explain a crush.

"Although," he added, his lips curling, "I did not expect you to adapt to the silks so quickly. You look lovely."

Yugi blushed, and added proudly, "Well, if I am to be your Magistrate, I should look like one at least, even though I could barely move in those silks without stumbli—" He paused when something in the wardrobe caught his eye: something black and white, and laced with silver ribbons.

"Timaeus, is that—?" He moved to the wardrobe, overcome by sudden, subconscious curiosity, and pulled the garment free. It was wrinkled and frosted with dust, but it had not lost any of its brilliance.

"I found it on the bed," Timaeus explained, though his face was oddly pink. "I thought you'd want to keep it."

Yugi clutched the garment tightly. "Thank you," he said, then held it up to look it over. The gold neckpiece and long shenti were from the first outfit he'd worn on this ship that wasn't his, but the gold linen belt and bodice top were from the uniform Rhebekka let him borrow. Interlocking gold threads shot through the hems of the skirt brocaded the rest of the garment and belt. The silver ribbons were the only separate contribution. At the time, lovely and styled for a Kemetic Nomarch, he'd seen it as nothing more than a gold gift to buy his forgiveness. The memory shamed him but looking at it now, he couldn't shake the wondering. "Why did you have this specially made? Why not simply have me wear a new costume?"

"Perhaps." Timaeus shrugged. Taking a step forward, he lowered Yugi's hands, removing the obscuring cloth from his view and meeting Yugi's eyes. "But you wouldn't have been happy with something cold and expensive," he stated, reminiscing. "These were the two garments you wore during our happier times together. In your… state, I had hoped they would remind you of those times, and perhaps bring you comfort." His smile was sheepish, like a boy explaining a gift to his beloved.

Touched by the confession, Yugi's fingers went to the _shabka_ bracelet around his wrist. Tracing the intricate gold vines and amethyst lotus flowers identical to the ones on his dowry box, he thought back to the other items he had received—beautiful things, yes, though he'd done nothing to deserve them.

"And my other… wedding gifts…" He couldn't reveal their identities just yet. "Were they crafted with the same purpose?"

"They were." Timaeus nodded, grinning like a young boy. "I believe you yourself said that things should have special meanings or they are but worthless trinkets. Your love of the lotus was unquestionable."

They looked at each other for a long time, saying nothing.

Then Timaeus added, "I knew the moment I first met you. You would never be happy with fancy gifts or pretty things. You like things that are simple and more meaningful." There was something else he'd hoped to accomplish, though he said nothing of it—he did not have to. The look in his eyes when he saw Yugi smile—so loving and so certain of him—spoke volumes. "Now, of course, _had_ I wanted to simply buy you, then yes, I would have saved myself a great deal of grief and had entirely new things made. But somehow I feel that if _that_ had been the case, then I doubt I'd have asked for you in the first place."

Yugi laughed at that—a sweet chime that made his heart flutter. Only then did he realize how much he had missed it.

Yugi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he did both, but the tears accompanied a touched smile. How well he knew him. Truly knew him. How many little things he had picked up on in their short time together, Yugi didn't know, but he vowed to do the same.

"Thank you." He smiled again, unsure of what else to say. But it was enough for the other.

Timaeus beamed. "You're welcome." He offered the little one his hand and made a grand gesture towards the door. "Will you join me?"

Yugi wanted nothing more than to take his hand, but shook his head. "You go on without me." The disappointment on Timaeus' face almost made him reconsider. Instead, he stepped up and kissed the man's cheek reassuringly. "I'll follow you shortly. I just have something I want to do myself first."

Pale pink bloomed where Yugi kissed his cheek. Timaeus blinked. Dazed, he rose a tender hand to touch the spot, unsure if he'd imagined it or not.

Yugi giggled and gently shoved his back, the way Timaeus used to do to him. "You go on—I will follow."

Snapped from his daze by the movement, but assured by Yugi's smile, Timaeus nodded. "Alright, meet me by the bow, and we'll start your first lesson."

Yugi nodded and watched him go. He exhaled when the door closed, then returned to the bed. Setting the garment on it, he dropped to his knees and carefully slid something out from under the wood and sheets. It sat so silently but slid with such ease that Yugi was amazed it didn't dart and slide along with the waves. Perhaps Timaeus wouldn't have missed it had he shared their bed, but Yugi didn't complain. Had he found it before, it might have been misunderstood. There would be no such misunderstandings now.

Enclosing his hand around the lotus-cut knob, it surrendered with a soft pull. Its secrets were now exposed.

The first item was an artificial leopard skin his father had bundled him in one cold night, when they decided to look for the Gods amongst the stars. He'd been a toddler then and hadn't noticed that the star-like rosettes were not a simple cluster of spots, but a series of specific, divine constellations.

Folded neatly under it were the simple linen tunics he adored—first for their comfort, then for their statement of his independence.

Then a statue of his mother's sacred Sekhmet carved in the Destroyer's beloved scarlet granite that she'd set by his bedside and chanted all throughout the long nights he was ill.

The _senat_ board Pas had gotten him for his birthday and had sacrificed countless hours teaching him to play was tucked next to it. Yugi had always been a poor student when he was young.

The scribe lettering tools Menkheperre had given him that same birthday were carefully packed away underneath the board. Yugi hadn't been interested in it then, but he remembered learning to read under his brother's patient tutelage and Maatkare's stern discipline when he complained and thought of giving up. He wondered what they'd think now, knowing he'd kept them.

Next to the tools was a bunch of papyrus letters from Mut during his travels with his mother and more recent ones when she'd been called back to Djanet—each one stamped with the golden seal of a four-winged blue goddess crowned in a vulture headdress.

A dried and preserved lotus from the sacred pool of Mut—its long spindly roots spun into a circular bracelet like a coiled snake—was delicately kept in a small package. As a curious child, he'd pulled too harshly on the root during a path in the sacred spring and had cried miserably when he thought he had killed it. His mother had turned it into a bracelet around his tiny wrist and told him that it had not died, but simply been given a new purpose. He'd worn it until the petals started to wilt and his wrist became too big for the brace.

And finally, there lay a daisy chain of exotic flowers he'd made with his sisters in the palace gardens where Ramses III had kept an exotic collection of plants around the world. He'd been roped into the activity of weaving flowery bridal veils while his mother had been sent to care for the current Lady of Two Lands and left him in his sisters' charge. The girls had taken turns dancing and imagining themselves as rich brides on their wedding day, while little Yugi scoffed and—with his nose pointed high—bragged that he would never get married because girls were silly. Oh, how right and wrong that naïve child had been. Yugi laughed.

This was the dowry he'd brought from Kemet—the night before his wedding when the most logical part of himself knew there was no escaping his fate. There were no gold trinkets or heirloom pieces encrusted with jewels, no fancy documents boasting his fancy titles or other things most brides brought with them to boast their honor. No, these were moments captured in objects and the stories they told preserved until he needed them. His secret Heart, memories of youth: bright and happy ones, others of his adolescent struggles, his isolations and sufferings and lonely nights that had become less lonely, and memories both happy in their origin but sad in their remembrance. Days and times that started off full of excitement and wonder, but then turned broken and devastating, only to end in laughter and smiles. He touched each one and let the joy and sadness wash over him like a child's beloved blanket.

Then he gingerly placed them back inside and pulled his wedding dress from the bed. Just as Timaeus promised, it filled his heart with memories. It was a reminder of everything Timaeus has hoped for; it started as a terrible omen but was now a beautiful symbol of hope and endurance. Gingerly, he folded it up and placed it inside. He redid the lid. Now it was another precious treasure. Another piece of his secret Heart. Perhaps one day it wouldn't be so secret, he thought tantalizingly. He slid the box back into its place and left to meet his husband.

His _husband_. When had he started calling him that? Yugi wondered. Once, it might've left him feeling bitter and confused, but now it filled him with a mixture of excitement and perhaps a little fear—a good fear. _His husband_. Yugi repeated again with a giggle. _His Husband, Timaeus._ Yugi like the way it sounded.

X X X

"You know… when you told me I'd have my first lesson today, this is not what I thought you meant."

"Perhaps." Timaeus put all his weight behind the loud grunt. The iron grate sank into the stubborn wood and with a heavy lurch, it snapped free. He tossed the rotten board over the edge and wiped the sweat from his brow with a smile. "But the duty of a Trierarch is never complete, whether it's operating his ship or leading his men into battle." He chuckled and set to work hacking out the old oakum with gauntleted hands. Once he was finished, he grabbed a fresh board from the pile of planking between them.

Yugi shuddered, watching him switch the iron grate for a wooden hammer and a fresh plank in place of the old one—dreading his own task once the man was done. Timaeus winkled another board loose and began digging out the rotten materials. When he reached for another board, Yugi could no longer hold back.

"But…" Yugi tasted the weak protest on his lips, but a glance at the thick, slimy, black sludge—steaming and bubbling in his hands—and the iron ladle lying innocently inside it could no longer silence his voice. "Spreading pitch?"

Timaeus paused and spun to him. With an amused smile, he arched his back and raised a finger in a dramatic mimic of a formal speaker. "A Trierarch is only as good as his ship, and a poorly-kept ship makes for a poor Trierarch." He finished and returned to himself. "First and foremost, that includes the upkeep and care of the ship, for if she fails then we all go down with her. 'Twas the first thing my master taught me, and that is also your first lesson."

From a bucket of spliced ropes, he grabbed a handful of thick, oakum fibers and caulked them tight between the thatching. The last step before it was his turn, and Yugi dreaded it. His fingers tightened around the bucket until the metal of the gauntlets pinched his fingers. He'd been given his own pair—Timaeus' extra set to protect his fingers from the hot liquid in case any of it spilled. On leather ones, the pitch would solidify and ruin them once it cooled. Yugi shuddered again.

"You cannot ask one of the shipmates to do this?" He hated how weak and childish he sounded, but the alternative made his stomach lurch.

Timaeus frowned, unimpressed. "I could," he paused, and Yugi dreaded what came next. "But it would earn me no favors. Nor will it you. A Trierarch is only as strong as his crew, and a leader made by the people who follow him. They will not follow arrogance or stupidity. They will serve a kakistocracy purely out of fear or self-preservation, but they will not follow him into battle or rise to his defense in times of crises. They choose a leader who they trust to not only protect them, care for them, and aid them, but who will also never forget what they do for him."

Yugi looked away. He knew he was right. Still…

"Besides…" Timaeus continued, and pointed down, hammer still in hand. A loud creaky groan of oars rotating in their sockets and the loud, wet swish of wood colliding with water that followed confirmed the assertion. "My whole army is busy rowing, Ryou is at the helm, and Rhebekka is still abed. There is simply no one else to do it. And these holes need fixing." He hammered another wooden nail into place. "Or we will all plummet to the abyss if another storm hits. Best not to test the Great Sea."

Yugi's eyes fixated on the massive wooden structure below him, churning the ocean like soup spoons—but their motions were repetitive, vertical loops. Wood screeched against wood in a loud moan—like a monster's rumbling stomach—and below, the sea protested the disturbance with a wet blow to the sides, sending water and brine crashing against the ship. Each wave of turbulence rocked the rickety plank suspended only a few feet below the rail and even less above the decks, but each time it moved, Yugi felt his stomach drop and his heart scramble for his throat.

"Perhaps then, we need less oars," Yugi grumbled under his breath.

"Be grateful for them," Timaeus snapped. "With how fickle these zephyrs have been, we'd still be battling along Kemet's coasts instead of halfway through the Great Sea."

When Yugi didn't answer, Timaeus turned to him and found him staring down at the sea—his lips tight, his eyes wide and swirling with scenarios none pleasant, and his brows twitching nervously. Instead of pale pink, his cheeks seemed flushed green and he gripped the pitch bucket and brush with desperate fingers.

His annoyance softened. "Would you rather hammer the wood and I ladle the pitch?"

Yugi turned about. His eyes fell to the iron tool in his hand, then at Timaeus' smiling face. He looked away with timid embarrassment. "I was never good with tools. I'd probably miss and break my fingers."

Timaeus sighed. "Pitch it is, then." He spun with ease and returned his work. The plank shook with the action and Yugi's gasp morphed into a squeak before he could stop himself. Timaeus froze in mid-strike.

"Yugi…" He blinked, understanding finally piecing the clues together. "Are you… frightened by heights?"

"W-W-What?" Yugi choked, ears reddening. "N-N-No—I—" He stumbled for words, face turning redder. In all honesty, he had never been higher than the Window of Viewing, but that was on solid stone and in his father's arms, not an unstable wooden plank floating increasingly higher above crashing oars and uncertain depths, and balancing a bucket of hot pitch. Before he could fathom a possible excuse, Timaeus slid next to him and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Fret not, my love," he whispered, words smoky and earnest. "For I will catch you if you fall."

"Please…" Yugi blushed redder. "No teasing…"

Timaeus pulled away, frowning. "You think I am insincere?"

Yugi shook his head. "No, just… that the idea of falling is what bothers me."

Timaeus chuckled. "It is an understandable concern—that is why I did not wear my armor," he explained. "Handsome as it makes me, I'd sink like a stone."

"Don't jest," Yugi snapped, unamused.

Timaeus blinked, then smirked and kissed his nose. "Do not mistake me, love—I am a man, grown and far from those impetuous boys you are accustomed to." He tugged at the rope, looped firmly around his waist, to demonstrate its security. "I've not yet lost a man at sea and I don't aim to start now."

Yugi studied him without his armor: it should've made him look less magnificent but instead, the absence of bulky metal and sheer fabric only made his face sharper, his skin darker, his eyes brighter, and his toned body more defined in a sort of stripped-down elegance that somehow made him look more human and yet even more unreachable.

Timaeus' arms still wrapped around him, Yugi felt him tug on the loops around his own waist—his wide smile wicked and playful. "Perhaps you'd feel better if I tied our lifelines together?"

Yugi shoved him away fearlessly. The movement rocked him back and shook the plank, but he gripped the ropes to keep steady.

"You may not be a boy, but you sure _act_ like one," he scolded.

Timaeus shook his head and recovered. "And here I thought you liked my roguish charm," he snorted then composed himself, his voice earnest and grave. "On a more serious note, you need not fear for your safety with me. You are mine to protect and I will _never_ let anything happen to you. Do you know that?"

There was no lie or hesitation in his voice, but it wasn't what Yugi needed. "I know _that_ , but can you promise the same for yourself?"

Timaeus' face dropped from severity to utter bewilderment in a single moment. Yugi's eyes hardened, demanding but trembling. "I want to protect you, too, you know."

Timaeus blinked, then smiled. Setting down the hammer, he leaned over the pile of boards carefully and kissed Yugi's cheek. "You need never worry about that, love," he promised, rubbing Yugi's cheek. "You will never lose me."

"How can you promise that?" Yugi asked, rubbing his shoulders.

"Because I have you to come back to." He kissed him again. It was a short kiss—chaste and sweet—but in it burned the promise of all the world and its hopes. It was tender and comforting, and though it changed nothing, it confirmed everything. To Yugi, it was the sweetest kiss he could've ever received.

"Now," Timaeus continued, smiling. He slid over further, allowing Yugi better access, then patted the seat next to him. "Come here and I'll show you how to ladle pitch."

Yugi obeyed. Despite the churning in his stomach, Yugi knew what must be done and sighed with gracious defeat. Following Timaeus' instruction, he sat on his knees and lifted the ladle an arm's length away from him before carefully dumping it over the cracks in the caulking. With the same careful precision he'd used when he poured soup, he poured then spread it thickly by dragging the end of the ladle over it.

"Very good," Timaeus nodded approvingly. His eyes beamed with pride.

Yugi beamed brightly, then turned his head to the rest of the hull where oakum had come loose and many of the boards sported weather-worn holes. "Still many to go, it seems…"

"Indeed," Timaeus nodded with a sigh, and pulled on the ropes. After rigging the pulleys and settling into a fresh spot, he smiled. "But enough about ship repairs. There are many other things to discuss while we work." He left the metaphorical door open and inviting, and placed in Yugi's palm a handful of wooden nails.

Yugi grinned. "Alright." He surreptitiously pocketed one of the nails for his memory box, placed the pitch bucket in front of him, and crossed his legs over the plank. "Since this doubles as my lesson, tell me everything about Locri, then. I want to know everything."

Timaeus did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this chapter is one of my favorites :) I had Yugi's memory scene written for about a year, i think: yeah a year, I wrote it just after finishing part one at my grandmother's christmas party when reminiscing with my family made me think of all the things yugi would keep to take with him,and why they're precious. it was fun to write!
> 
> The second scene was actually Val's idea (to add since she felt the chapter needed a little more spice) no idea why i had them spreading pitch but I knew i wanted them to fix the ship as the main thing seamen do IS make repair and fixes to the ship, but it did end up being a fun bonding experience for them and i got a kick out of making yugi afraid of heights, the scene just flowed! The end the same during the rewrite!
> 
> I also did a LOT of research on ancient ship building, repair and life and let me tell you it was NOT easy but the research definitely made the chap feel more authentic and i loved it :)
> 
> Glossary
> 
> A few nautical terms…
> 
> Planking — fresh planks or boards used to repair holes and replace rotting woods in hulls, especially after heavy storms that can cause water damage.
> 
> Oakum — loose fiber obtained by untwisting and picking apart old ropes, used to caulking the seams of ships
> 
> Caulk — to fill or close seams/crevices in ships in order to make them watertight. In ships, it is to make a vessel watertight by filling the seams between the planks with oakum or other materials.
> 
> Pitch — a dark, tenacious, and viscous substance, possible tar, used for caulking or sealing the holes in ships and the cracks between boards. Also used to prevent flooding and water damage.
> 
> Ladle — in verb form, it is to dip or cover as if with a ladle tool. Ladling wood with hot pitch was the best way to seal any remaining holes in the ship after the rotten wood and oakum was removed.
> 
> Grammar Knight's Note/s:
> 
> winkling – to extract or obtain something with difficulty.
> 
> kakistocracy – the government of a state by its most unprincipled citizens; a government under the control of a nation's worst or least-qualified citizens.
> 
> NEXT TIME: The winds of change are blowing and as one relationship processes another sours, and when things take a turn for the worst, Yugi makes a split second decision that will change everything!


	40. 40: Surgery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The winds of change are blowing and as one relationship processes another sours, and when things take a turn for the worst, Yugi makes a split second decision that will change everything!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AT LAST! A03 is all caught up to date! Enjoy!!!
> 
> WARNING: VIOLENT SCENES AND INJURY AHEAD. Nothing severly graphic but not for the faint of heart either.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot
> 
> HISTORICAL NOTE: Everything mentioned in this chapter from meds to chip repair to injury fixes was taken from actual ancient Egyptian papyrus and knowledge, so i don't own them but for the purpose of keeping this story historically accurate i used them
> 
> As always, read, review, reply, comment, critique, ask questions, flame if you must but there must be reasons for your rants, and go nuts!

_Chapter XL: Surgery_

The storm had cost them nearly two days' travel and left wounds that had taken the better part of three days to fix. Though the crew had escaped the hurricane unscathed, her winds had been fiercer and stronger than originally calculated **.** By the time all hands secured the sails, lowered the anchors, and secured both rows of oars half-out and perpendicular to the hull, the _Eye_ had been knocked several leagues off-course. And though the drogue of the ship cancelled the threat of increasing speed and collision against high waves, they'd lost much of the time the galley's oars had earned them before.

Malik, whom Yugi understood was the Shipwright, concluded the damage early that morning as Timaeus and Yugi healed the ship's holes with oakum and pitch. The worst of it were minor, but the mizzen-topmast had splintered, leaving half her sails useless. Worse, with the storm gone, the winds turned traitorous—leaving mobility entirely dependent on the oars.

Yugi recalled with a grin and a shiver that Timaeus had been adamant against staying dead in the water. " _As long as she's seaworthy,_ " Timaeus had said, standing against the dusky dawn with the rising light streaming behind him and the wind billowing his mantle like the wings of some majestic dragon god, " _then the Eye of Timaeus will sail!_ " The applause that followed was so loud and infectious that even Yugi found himself touched by it—even more so when the Trierarch, bearing all the glory of a Dragon Knight, stepped down from the aft and summoned him to his side. He'd never felt more like a Trierarch or a Magistrate than he had in that moment.

After that, the oarsmen resumed their duty, leaving most of the repairs to a handful whose talents were better served elsewhere. Yugi was one of them; his days began and concluded with lessons in Locrian statecraft, then divided between ship repairs and his Trierarch training with Timaeus, and assisting Rhebekka with her kitchen and surgical duties. Yugi was quick to adapt to the routine of rising early. Hem-netjer and Per-A'Ah alike rose at dawn to greet the sun and prepare the matutinal rituals. Trierarchs, or at least Timaeus, rose an hour earlier than the sun. After a bath and a meal, he'd set to work surveying everything aboard the ship—from water levels, to storage arrangements, and to who was able-bodied enough to work. Yugi fell into the routine with an easy acceptance he'd never had as an apprentice in Amun's House.

Timaeus would rise early and Yugi rose with him. They would bathe and break their fast together, where Timaeus educated him on the customs of Locri—all basic and what he would need to know upon his arrival. More complicated customs which could not be taught would be learnt through experience. Yugi would observe and remark on the whole process with sheer amazement and Timaeus would watch him with an amused chuckle. They spoke of his duties before, but never had Yugi listened with such keen interest; Timaeus was a passionate teacher and Yugi an eager student.

One afternoon, he'd learned that unlike Kemet's wet and dry seasons, Locri was divided into seasons of colder months and warmer months called winter and summer. Instead of roads and streets, Locri had canals and waterways; houses were built directly on the lagoons and the islands were all connected by bridges. He learned that women wore slippers outside in the summer and boots in the cold, and how the length of sleeves on an outfit represented one's status. Timaeus told him about the masks worn—to keep from catching diseases—by doctors, a field left to the Headwomen of each keep, and about the fantastical festivals where everyone wore elaborate costumes and masks, and of the enormous Grand House called a temple, dedicated to the God and Goddess—whose story, Timaeus told him, he would learn from the priestess, as only she was permitted to share it with others.

It sounded like a whimsical paradise, Yugi found himself imagining. _Locri is all water and stone—a magnificent city of islands in a great green._ He daydreamed, scrubbing his fingers vigorously. They came away pale, wrinkled, and dripping, but miraculously clean. With a near-cry of satisfaction, Yugi drowned the thick bundle of wool in the suds and set to the task of scrubbing.

After three days of grueling work, he and Timaeus had finally finished replacing the last of the hull's water-rotted boards sometime late in that afternoon, then set to the task of cleaning the deck. "A Trierarch's work is never done," Timaeus had said nonchalantly, but Yugi knew it was another lesson—the mischievous gent. It wasn't a difficult task, though Yugi still felt his ego dented at doing what was more commonly a servant's job than a naval commander's. He chuckled to himself. "Perhaps that was the point."

He sensed the light disappearing before the shadow loomed over him. When he opened his eyes, he was unsurprised to see it consuming his smaller frame—the evening sun had warped it into a vague, gangly outline.

"Can I help you?" he asked without looking.

"Quartermaster wants you," Otogi snapped in annoyance. Yugi paused in his work and sat back on his heels. He threw the man a nonchalant gaze over his shoulder. Otogi's fingers twitched with annoyance and his lips were pulled into an irritable scowl, like those of a skilled assistant ordered to do the job of an apprentice.

But he was no sniveling milquetoast.

"Did she say why?" Yugi pressed blankly.

"Ask her that yourself," Otogi growled—then amended himself by adding, "She wouldn't tell me."

Yugi caught the lie and smiled. "Very well." He stood and casually wiped the suds off his hands, looking proud and regal despite his wet apron and the soap dripping from him. "I'll be certain to assure what a wonderful messenger you were."

Otogi twitched visibly and spun away, his mission complete, but not before his heel—so quickly it almost could have been an accident if Yugi didn't know better—clipped the side of his bucket and sent it toppling over. Yugi didn't move or show any emotion other than his smile, even as the cold water spilled over his boots and soaked through the soles.

Only when Otogi was gone did he sink to the deck with a growl and tried his best to spread out the river of water. That was all he needed for the wood to rot again.

"That was a bit uncalled for." Timaeus' baritone voice announced his arrival before his clicking boots did.

"Perhaps." Yugi shrugged. "But I doubt Otogi will—"

"I wasn't talking about Otogi," Timaeus cut him off quickly.

Yugi shot to his feet. "Are you insisting _I_ did something wrong?" Yugi demanded, his temper rising.

Timaeus expelled a sigh and pinched his nose for a moment. "We agreed to be honest with one another, yes?"

Yugi nodded.

"My men do not respect you, but it has little to do with our relationship."

Yugi looked at him in bewilderment, and he continued. "You asked me to teach you the ways of a Trierarch. A Trierarch is King on the deck of his ship, but like how a king is only as strong as his kingdom, he is also only as strong as that ship and the ship as strong as the men who wield it. He is feared by his enemies and respected by his men, but he wields his power with humility and cares for his people openly."

"And I do not?" Yugi accused, interrupting.

Timaeus only shook his head. "We both know that you do, but you wield your power like a sword, especially pointed at those you feel are subject to you. My men do not see that as strength. They see it as arrogance, and they show you the same level of care."

"That is—" Yugi protested immediately, but Timaeus cut him off once again.

"Do you not agree?" Timaeus challenged.

"I do not," he said immediately.

"Ujalah…" Timaeus dragged out his full name in two syllables. The annoyance of the tone signified that he was done with such juvenile answers.

Yugi blanched like a child. "… Forgive me," he said at last, eyes downcast and inner cheeks bit on lightly.

Timaeus lifted his chin and smiled. "Do not be. I think they expect more from you because you are mine. You are so strong that even I forget at times how young you are—how much you have yet to learn."

"What should I do?" Yugi asked hesitantly. "How do I apologize without appearing weak?"

"You are many things, my love, but weak is not one of them," Timaeus insisted sternly. " 'Tis not apologies they require, nor strength. It is to know that you see them as more than subjects."

"But I do!" Yugi insisted.

"I know that, love," Timaeus explained. "And there are some that do as well, but there are still many who do not. Otogi is one of them, and the rest are uncertain."

Unable to articulate any more questions or thoughts, Yugi sighed heavily with frustration. "Then what can I do?"

Timaeus' answer was a tender kiss on the curve of his lips. "You do what you do best." His eyes were bright and proud.

"Endure?" Yugi asked jokingly.

Timaeus only laughed. "You act."

X X X

Timaeus' words echoed in Yugi's mind for the rest of the evening. Dumping the inedible skins and scales of the day's rations overboard, he found himself pondering them again. His hand flew through bloody feathers, slimy scales, and wet, bumpy vegetable skins, clenching handfuls of sticky textures and dragging them across the wood and over the railing of the ship until a heavy gray rain splashed into the ocean. It was hardly pleasant work, but it helped him think. He couldn't really discern anything different about his recent behavior. He and Timaeus were talking, of course, and he'd taken a more active role in caring for the ship, but was it so minor a thing that it hardly counted?

With a discouraged sigh, he upended the bucket over the railing and shook his hand clean, then ran his other one through the loose gold bangs of his hair. The action brought none of the comfort it had when it was Timaeus playing with them. No ideas came.

As it stood, the crew had gained a begrudging respect for him, but remained divided. Some, like Ryou and Rhebekka, were supportive, others—the Boatswain and Shipwright, especially—held their suspicions firm. The rest, like Raphael, were either uncertain or just didn't care—neither of which showed loyalty in a consort.

His eyes wandered across the deck where the small faction not designated to rowing oars had set to work patching sails with pickers, seam rubbers, needles, spliced ropes with fig, and freshly-caulked oakum in the uppermost part of the mizzenmast. Malik guided the repairs in strict directions from up high on the rafters. Below, Otogi stood alone upon the stern deck, the image of a stony commander. Even Malik flinched at his severe expression. In charge of repairs, the Shipwright might have held status on the ship, but it granted him little power in terms of command, leaving Otogi the real authority. Though fourth under Ryou, it was _he_ the crew answered to and, Yugi suspected, the one whose opinion in regards to Yugi himself most prefer. His cold green glint focused and his jaw tight, it was clear the man's mood had not improved since their encounter that morning—had not improved at all since that first meeting.

Even from this distance, Yugi could feel their eyes on him. Twenty meters up and with the fading sun behind them, Yugi couldn't make out the looks on the men's faces, just their silhouettes, but he felt their burning eyes inspecting him like a dress on a hanger and reminding themselves once again that _this_ was the Trierarch's chosen. Timaeus had encouraged him to act, to openly show his care and devotion, but the question remained: how to show the crew that he was sincerely irenic? His soups and wits would only take him so far. He desperately wanted to prove himself.

Not just for himself, but for Timaeus. Timaeus was Trierarch, and the Trierarch was loved and trusted—his choice admired and respected. His decision of Yugi as consort was neither. What would it mean for his future decisions if they protested this one so fiercely?

His ponderings found him standing on the open deck where the breeze picked up and whipped loose strands of hair against his face, once more boasting her fickleness. But these were not gentle sea breezes. It hit him like fireworks. These winds were too fierce. He'd known them in Kemet and he knew what they meant. But were they just as dangerous on open water? Or just another common part of life at sea?

He looked up, and the sails that had hung drooping forlornly from the masts had the slightest of flutters in them. The men on the rafters, where the wind was strongest, found their balance suddenly shifted and quickly grabbed hold of the wood. Another thrall soon followed, and Yugi felt the force of it pushing him back. Amethyst eyes widened in trepidation. The wind died as quickly as it started, and Yugi seized the chance to bolt towards the foredeck.

"Where's the Trierarch?" he thundered in a single breath, slamming against the wood.

Otogi stared down at him quizzically, a raised arm shielding his face against the next thrall. His long hair whipped about his face, smacking him like the tails of an annoyed animal.

With a growl of aggravated rage, he batted it away like he was trying to swat flies, then fixated his gaze on Yugi. "What do you want, _boy_?"

Yugi matched his expression, but held none of the ferocity. "Where is the Trierarch?" he demanded.

Otogi's brow arched but his expression did not soften. "What business have you—"

"I didn't ask for a question." Yugi's incontrovertible tone sliced away any argument. "I need to speak with the Trierarch. The winds are picking up—"

"The winds?" Otogi glared at him incredulously. "The winds are part of a life at sea—though I don't expect a whelp from the desert to know much about it." The words were a sneer. "Go back inside, boy; there is no place for you here."

"Otogi!" Yugi roared over the winds but his voice was a frail squeak by comparison—like a squabble of seagulls screeching over the loud, obnoxious bellow of a foghorn. "Get the men down! It's too dangerous to continue in these winds!"

Otogi just glared at him. "Don't think to give me orders!" His snap caught on the wind, making it sound like a long, drawn-out hiss. "I know these waters and these winds as you do not. And it matters not; _The Eye_ is wounded and she needs fixing. We cannot stall any longer!"

"Damn it, Otogi, this is more important than your dislike of me!" Yugi wanted to scream, but forced his voice to stay civil with only the slightest raise of indignation. "Your quarrel is with me, fine! But I'll not have it put the rest of us at risk. These winds are too fast and they're growing in speed!"

Almost as if to prove his point, another sharp wind roared to life with a fierce howl. Not a strong thrall, but fast and prickly with bitter coldness. So cold, that Yugi had to shield his face with his arms, suddenly grateful for the full body coverage of Timaeus' under-armor. Despite the wind's sharp blades stinging his eyes and biting his cheeks, Yugi dared to look up. On the rafters and riggers, men were struggling to shield themselves from the speedy gales. The mizzenmast groaned under the weight of the wind, and the ship rocked violently with a low groaning screech of protest.

Up high, Malik spat a handful of nails into his palm and tried to bark something, but the command was lost to the wind. It did not go unnoticed and Otogi signaled him with his hands.

Wasting no more time, Yugi bolted up the steps to the aft. As he did, another large gust of wind roared, swooping right past Yugi and over Otogi like a wave and spiraled upward to drown the freshly-repaired sails in a fountain of winds.

Only then did Otogi look worried. He spun his attention back to Yugi and with hard eyes said, "Leave us, boy! This is no place for—" He didn't hear the electric snap of the ropes or hear the crack in the wood, drowned out by the sounds. What he did hear was a loud, unknown howl of "WATCH OUT!"

Otogi spun and Yugi's eyes followed in time to watch the farthest end of the mizzenmast's lowest yard snap and spiral towards them. For a split-second, time itself had frozen, all of Yugi's wits had abandoned him, and he could only stare at the falling tree-sized limb tumbling downwards. Then the moment was gone, and his body moved independent of his mind and instinctively dove with a desperate leap. It morphed into a summersault half-way through—his skills as a dancer not abandoning him—and he rolled until he crashed against the wooden railing and collapsed in a heap of sore muscles and pained limbs.

When he looked up, the yard—no longer than a tree branch—had spun in the wind and landed with a crash half-over the side of the rails. Before it did, Yugi gasped in horror as the loosened top smacked Otogi clear on the side before it landed, the knock propelling his own jump farther than he anticipated and sending him plunging down the stern deck's steps. He didn't just fall, but cartwheeled and bounced down the short stairs, landing with an awful hybrid of a thud and a crack, followed by a hideous morph between a howl and a scream.

To Yugi's horror, Otogi writhed on the ground, having landed on the side that he'd been struck, and his arm was spotted in red and twisted in a sickeningly unnatural angle.

Yugi was down the steps before he could think, but not before shouting, "All hands to the main deck!" to the men on the rafters. "Now!"

He knew it was Otogi's injuries rather than his command that had them scrambling, but it didn't matter. Not while the wind was blowing this fiercely. He dropped to his knees and crawled to Otogi's side. The man was half-conscious and his eyes were glazed. Yugi's eyes fell on the man's twisted arm, and gently, he grabbed his shoulder to roll him onto his side. Otogi screamed when he was moved and tried to clutch his arm but Yugi stopped him.

"Don't," he half-ordered, half-pleaded. "You'll make it worse." He rolled Otogi to his other side. The pained spasm seemed to have brought him back to his senses, and his eyes fell on his injured arm and the rising bump of his skin where his shoulder should've been. Suddenly, his mouth dropped open, his skin paled a sickly green, and his eyes expanded and glazed with an emotion Yugi didn't think the man capable of: fear.

"No…" It was the whisper of a squeak. Yugi tried to press his shoulder when Otogi tried to get up but he forced him away with a hard shrug, screaming. "No! No! No! No! No!"

"Otogi!" Yugi screamed and tried to grab him, fearful he'd make it worse. "Stop! I have to—"

"I said no!" he shrieked, half-conscious but somehow coherent. He glared at Yugi, eyes blazing and wild like some frightened animal becoming a mad beast by fear. "I'll not be nothing!" he shrieked. "I'll not fail him! I'll not lose this arm!"

Yugi blinked. "Why on earth would you—?"

"What's happened?!" He was cut off by Malik's scratchy shrill. The men soon crowded around them like a pride of jackals. Their eyes bore past Yugi and fixated on Otogi's injured arm like he was an antelope with a wounded leg, but instead of savage hunger, their frowns were pitiful—their eyes hopeless and sympathetic. Their faces darkened as if it were a funeral procession.

"We should find the Quartermaster," someone said flatly, almost like it was a courtesy. By the shallow rasp, Yugi assumed it was Raphael.

" 'Tis no use anyway… Look at it," someone else said solemnly.

"Best we just get the saw and ale." Defeat.

The words rose like an arrow, piercing Yugi's heart. The realization that followed struck just as sharp and twice as sudden.

" _Are you all mad!?_ " His scream was a creature—alive, protective, and as dangerous as a mother lioness. He didn't realize he was standing. The man behind him trembled, but Yugi stood—his eyes fierce and defensive, his fingers flexed like claws, and his teeth clenched so hard with rage he thought they might crack.

Only Malik had the gall to question him while Sekhmet's avatar. "What are you doing!? Do you want him to die?! Without the Quartermaster, he'll—"

"He'll _die_ ," Yugi snapped, spitting the word as if it were a curse, "if you take off his arm like a pack of savage jackals!" His glare hardened and his claws sharpened, his scowl morphed into a mirthless laugh. "I take it back, you men are not mad—you're _daft_!"

They all rose to protest, but Yugi silenced them with a sharp retort. "You'd rather cripple a man than bother saving him." He ignored their stunned silence and stomped through the circle, scrutinizing each member of the crowd. "Who has a cloak?"

The question caught them all off-guard.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "A mantle? Jerkin? _Anything?_ " His eyes continued searching, then fixated on Raphael standing stupefied at the back. "Raphael?" He shoved anyone foolish enough not to move aside. "Take off your cloak," he demanded, like he was asking for more parchment.

"What?" The man stared at him, aghast.

Yugi didn't flinch. "I'm in no mood for amusements. I can reset his arm but first, I need something folded for him to lie on. Now give it to me or I will take it myself!" Though petite and delicate compared to the taller, brawnier soldier, the unbridled authority and sheer ferocity he illuminated was so overwhelming that it brokered no argument. Raphael surrendered the horse-hair cloak without speaking.

Snatching it, Yugi rushed back to Otogi's side, barking to random men. "Fetch me clean linens! Rhebekka should have some! You! Go to the kitchens and bring me honey—lots of honey—and dew, fresh dew, and seawater—and boiled wine, I'll need that as well—and see if we have _shemshemet_! "

"Shemshemet?" Someone asked, baffled?

"The Medical Marihuana Plant?" Yugi rolled his eyes, aggravated.

"Cannabis?" Someone suggested?"

"Yes that!" He was interrupted when Malik stupidly, inquired about the honey, too shocked to believe it had any value. "Do I sound like I'm going to sweeten fruits? Bring me all of it! You'll never find a better repellent for the demons of infection than that. There's some in the infirmary! Now go!"

The crew gaped at him, unsure how to approach the situation. Stammered questions fell from their lips as if they'd forgotten their own tongues. Yugi whirled on them. "Did I stutter!? **_Go!_** " He roared like a lead lioness scolding her pride.

The men stumbled and scrambled as they left to retrieve the orders.

Still gaping, the men obeyed, too stupefied to do anything else. Those that remained watched him gently lift Otogi up. Yugi bit into the cloth, and then ripped the thick material free with an ease that stunned even Otogi and Malik to silence. Once it was folded, Yugi placed it under the small of Otogi's back and commanded him to lie down. When he didn't, Yugi shoved his good arm down gently and shoved a ball of cloth in his mouth.

"Bite down," he ordered before Otogi could spit it out. "I need to examine your injuries and it's going to hurt. You're better off biting horse hair than severing your tongue."

He examined Otogi's arm, starting with the shoulder, and ran his fingers downward. Otogi hissed at each laceration. The worst was along his upper arm, where the wood had slashed the flesh. Yugi pressed his fingers into the wound, squeezing Otogi's good shoulder tighter when he heard the man's muffled scream. When Yugi retracted his fingers, the nails were painted red, but the cuticles were dry. When he found the lower arm, only a small crease along the skin was needed to feel the break there. He felt nothing in the wrist but Otogi's wince was sharp and his cry, though muffled, was high when he touched it.

To his relief, the men returned with buckets of water, linen, and the herbs he requested. They approached him hesitantly and left the items, then shuffled back like they were offerings to a God they had offended and were uncertain if it was enough.

He upended the saltwater over the bleeding arm, sanitized it with boiled wine, cleaned it with dew, and wrapped it tightly in honey-soaked linen. Otogi hissed like a serpent, felt the salt and wine burn his wounds clean of infection, then gasped heavily at the touch of soothing honey.

Otogi finally spat out the gag, but remained where he lay. "The bottomless abyss was that?" he demanded, his voice all breath.

"I cleaned your wound," Yugi explained. "Your arm's not broken but there's a fracture, and your wrist is sprained. I need to set them before I can reset your shoulder," he mollified.

When Otogi nodded and replaced the cloth, Yugi hopped to Otogi's wrist and wrapped it so thick that only the fingers peeked out. Yugi tested the thickness of the gauze with a gentle squeeze. Otogi remained silent and Yugi smiled.

"Lie down and hold still," he commanded gently. Otogi obeyed. Taking Otogi's forearm in hand between the wrist and elbow, Yugi laid it parallel and pulled. Otogi tensed immediately.

"Stay still," Yugi gently ordered again. He pulled harder, testing with his fingers until he felt the breaks align and fit back together. He bandaged the wound between two slings with more honey-soaked linen, then tied them on either side of his arm.

He stopped only for a minute to breathe, and the exhale was so heavy that Yugi deflated under the weight, but he recovered just as quickly and moved adjacent to Otogi's side.

"I need to reset your shoulder," Yugi's words softened. Gone was the fiery commanding lioness from his face. Instead, the comforting, reassuring smile of Mut replaced it.

Overcome with the same bewilderment he had when Yugi first rushed to his aid and defense, Otogi could only nod.

Yugi positioned himself and, mindful of the other injuries, gently grasped Otogi's elbow and his unwounded upper arm, and held it against the man's body. He angled it in a perfect right, and carefully rotated. His gaze fixated on Otogi's for the first sign of resistance.

The whole ship gathered around them, watching blank-faced and silently. Finally, he stretched Otogi's bound hand to his opposite shoulder and with a quick flash of pain, the arm popped back into place—the task complete. Otogi gingerly sat up and Yugi tore the remains of Raphael's cloak into strips with impressive strength, tied both ends in a sling and wrapped it around Otogi's arm.

"There. You're set," he explained, his voice breathy. "You'll be stiff, but otherwise fine. It will take a few weeks for the bones to heal, so you'd best not use it for a while." He rose on numb legs, like he'd been frozen in time and just now regained his mobility. It had probably taken no more than half the time to walk a mile to see to all of Otogi's wounds, but for Yugi, it could've been ten years.

Otogi spat out the cloth and pushed himself up. His gaze fell disbelievingly on his sling-wrapped arm, fixed and still attached—like he expected it to be gone at any second. He gave his shoulder an experimental roll and his fingers a flex. Their mobility was minimal and both were stiff, but not uncomfortable.

When the shock retreated and the reality of it settled in like a thick ocean mist, his eyes fell on Yugi's trembling form.

"Thank you…" he mumbled begrudgingly.

Yugi spun to him. Otogi expected him to gloat or glare—to snap at him to be grateful or scold him for not listening sooner. But all he saw was surprised bewilderment.

"Why are you thanking me?" Yugi just stared at him. Their eyes were suddenly on him, identical masks of surprise and befuddlement. Yugi scrutinized them all with a swooping glance and merely chuckled. When he faced Otogi again, he was smiling. "You were injured; I am trained as a hem-netjer of Sekhmet. Did you think I'd just stand by and watch you writhe, knowing I could do something about it?"

Otogi looked at him like he'd been slapped. A flush of shame crept across his features and his face dropped to his feet, unable to meet Yugi's eyes.

Before Yugi could question his behavior, the doors to the navigation room flung open with a thunderous boom that rivaled the wind's roar. Timaeus burst through, charging across the deck like a territorial dragon with Ryou in tow. With a glance from the Trierarch, the Navigator banked left and burst up the steps towards the wheel.

Timaeus stopped suddenly, surveying the broken yard and scrambling crew circled around two men: one his Boatswain, the other his consort.

"What's happened?" he commanded, a sonorous yell deep as the ocean and thundered like the waves. It was addressed to all, but his eyes were on Yugi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! We finally get to see Doctor Yugi in action! or rather Sekhmet's avatar in action ;) now you all know why this chapter took so long, it was a BEAST trying to find out how they did this stuff. Especially becaus the common assumption was you broke your bokes you lost your arsm-since the Egyptians were incredible advanced in medical sciences i knew that wasn't the case-problem was proving it (collapse)
> 
> Ironically this turned out to be a more Yugi and Otogi chapter than Yugi and Timaeus, aside from his cameo in the middle but Yugi needs more creds with the crew so i think helping the person who's been hardest on him without hesitating in front of everyone says a lot.
> 
> I originally planned to end this with Yugi bringing him to the infirmary, but reseach gave me an another awesome idea for next chapter ;)
> 
> Glossary
> 
> drogue — part of a boat; a device external to a boat, attached to the stern and used to slow the boat down in a storm and to keep the hull perpendicular to the waves.
> 
> yard — part of the mast that holds the sail and is perpendicular to the mast, making a cross; divided into parts (in the story, the farthest end is the part that broke).
> 
> dew — fresh water
> 
> shemshemet – above its its literal translation but basically, cannabis or medical marijuana, yup the ancient egyptians were the first to use the stuff for medical purposes. Technically it was used to treat hemroids or eye-pain and poppy seeds aka opium as an antiseptic, and for insomia, but in the "absence" of that this was a nice back-up
> 
> Notes about used medical methods:
> 
> All medical practices mentioned in this story were accurately taken from the Edwin Smith papyrus copyrighted in 1600 BC, currently located at the New York Academy of Science. It is the oldest-known document referring to how the Ancient Egyptians treated injuries from headaches and simple cuts to wounds as severe as broke bones, open gashes, and dislocated limbs, which were extremely common during the construction of the pyramids. Contradictory to popular belief (and ironic given later treatments millennia to centuries later), the Ancient Egyptians were incredibly advanced healers, surgeons, and doctors (Sekhmet and her cult were not known as the slayers of the demons of disease for nothing). In fact, many of their techniques and practices are better than modern Western medicine and became the foreground to a variety of modern surgical procedures—and also contradictory to popular belief, AMPUTATIONS WERE EXTREMELY RARE AND ONLY USED IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. Such as a shattered arm or a bone breaking THROUGH the flesh.
> 
> Items and procedures used:
> 
> Depending on the depth of the wound, open wounds were sewed up using needle and thread—if it was not too deep, it was simply treated and cleaned with water and boiled wine or beer (though this was more common in Europe).
> 
> Bandages were made from linen.
> 
> Honey applied to linens when dressing and treating wounds is a disinfectant (no joke, the hyperosmolar and hygroscopic character of honey aid in host defenses against infection) while the Egyptians believed it repelled Sekhmet's demons.
> 
> Broken bones and fractures were treated by first laying the patient on their back with "something folded" between the shoulder blades, then they pull on the two bones until the two fractures fit back together. They secured it with a sling and then wrap in honey-soaked linens.
> 
> The shoulder relocation surgery used in the story was taken from the Kocher method used to relocate dislocated shoulder, which was actually taken from a 3000-year-old hieroglyph painting found in the tomb of Ipuny, interesting enough on the sculpture of Ramses II (Yugi's ancestor). This procedure is still used today and, if done correctly, is painless for the patient.
> 
> NEXT UPDATE: FEBRUARY 6th
> 
> NEXT TIME: The winds of change are blowing, there's a new order on deck, and an unwitting chance to impress may just shift the balance of power to Otogi's favor...


	41. XLI: Winds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Winds of change are blowing, there's a new order on deck and a chance to impress may shift the balance of power to Otogi's favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter right on schedule! and good news the next two are complete! YAY! so if all goes well I'll have the three after organized enough that I'll be able to jump straight into writing-again if work leaves me alone.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot; the ending of this chapter was loosely inspired by a golden girls episode i was watching that just fit so perfectly it worked!
> 
> Dedication: To my two betas and fans for their wonderful feedback! I love you all!
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions, guess theories and go nuts! Have fun!

_Chapter XLI: Winds_

His Consort spun quickly and rushed to Timaeus' side. "We're alright," he said immediately—his face a mollifying smile. Behind him, Raphael and Malik helped Otogi to his feet, mindful of his left arm heavily wrapped in sweet-smelling linens.

Seeing the Trierarch's questioning eyes on him, Otogi jutted his chin forward like a mule and gathered his dignity. "One of the yards snapped and struck my shoulder." He presented the bandaged arm as evidence. "Your Consort came to warn us that the winds were too fierce to work in." His eyes were shadowed—his face downcast. "I should've listened."

Timaeus frowned at that. He felt Yugi's comforting fingers tightening around his palm, and when he looked at him, Yugi only shook his head.

"Stop that, Otogi," Yugi chided gently with a small frown. "It's only a fracture and a wounded wrist. Keep it stable and it'll heal itself in a matter of ten days."

Otogi stared at him inscrutably, but Yugi ignored him and spun to Timaeus. "There are more important matters to discuss. The winds—" Yugi tried to explain just as another thrall, harsher than the others, roared to life with a warbling whine.

Both men raised their arms to shield their fragile faces from the sharp, cold air. Seeing Yugi was less protected than himself, Timaeus offered the shelter of his cloak, but Yugi shook his head.

"They aren't like the ones before!" Yugi finished, shouting. His voice was practically a whisper over the wind's whistling howl. "They're faster, stronger, and fiercer! They may be remnants of that last storm and they're already changing!"

"He's right, Trierarch!" Ryou's frail shout howled over the wind. He clung to the wheel with one hand, the other shielding his eyes. "These are not normal winds!"

Timaeus' eyes sharpened at the new information.

"They're downburst and gale force!"

"Blast!" Timaeus swore so loud, the echo of it followed the stomping of his foot. He pinned his gaze above him, where the spiral of sails that specialized in capturing the winds and redirecting them were only two-thirds complete—with the mizzenmast still under repair and a handful of her wings still wounded and unable to come about.

"Damn fickle beast! Been stale for days and now it's gone traitor!" he snapped at the winds. "Those will take us _days_ off-course with the sails down."

All around him, the men started muttering at the news. Conflicting dialects of Canaanite and Coptic and some Locrian all spiraled into a cacophony of counter-conflict opinions.

"Wait." Yugi grabbed Timaeus' hand, voice mollifying. The word cut through the noise like an arrow of silence. His voice was soft, but the sound was enough.

"Don't fret about catching the winds. We have to move away from them—and quickly."

Timaeus arched a brow, his lips set in a frown. Around him, his men began muttering—wide-eyed and disbelieving—but he ignored them. Gaze locked with Yugi's, his anger immediately softened under the flicker of determination in Yugi's bejeweled eyes.

"What say you, little one?" Timaeus asked, gently prying his fingers free. _The Eye of Timaeus_ was built for speed, and commanded the wind and waves like they were her subjects. No one knew her better than her Trierarch, and Timaeus knew best that she was at her fastest when her sails tracked the wind and she came about flying straight, regardless of its original direction. Even in the fiercest of winds and storms, she kept her sails unyielding, and Yugi knew that well.

Of course he did. Timaeus had taught him himself.

"I know these winds," Yugi warned when Timaeus pried away from his grip. His focus was on his husband, but his words were loud enough to carry. "I saw them often in Kemet. We call them Jamsins, or 'Seth's winds'." By now, many of the men had ceased their chattering and had come over to hear the explanation.

"They're common in the early months when the winds are hot. More often, they're no more than an inconvenience, but following a storm…" He broke off to pause. "They're the only warning He gives before He conjures a haboob fierce enough to shred crops and roofs, and—if it's particularly fierce—cleave flesh from bone."

"Those are desert problems," Malik interrupted in a harsh, disbelieving rasp. "Hardly applicable for life at sea," he finished with a smirk on his lips. Timaeus shook his head in disgust. The arrogance of it nearly stole his breath.

Unruffled, Yugi shot up. "It does when the downbursts are identical to the ones we're experiencing now." He snapped so sharp that the smile quickly dropped from Malik's face. "Regardless of how it started or whether it brought dust or rain, the premonition was always the same." Yugi's insistence was palpable, but there was no doubt or hesitation in his reply. "These winds always precede a coming storm."

He let the information sink in and Timaeus pondered over it. Summer storms were sudden and short, as quick to depart as they were to arrive, less frequent than autumn ones, and less dangerous than winter beasts—but _wholly_ unpredictable. His gaze fell to the still-wounded mizzenmast and the sails yet to be healed. With travel restricted to the daylight hours, the oars their primary source of speed, and this far from land, a second storm was the last thing they needed on the open waters. The answer came clear as morning, but Timaeus held his tongue and smiled at his consort, with blazing green and white eyes.

"And what do you suggest, Yugi?" Timaeus asked—all pride and confidence.

Yugi smirked. It hadn't escaped his notice of how rarely Timaeus used his name.

Yugi spun to the stern and hollered over the wind and masts. "Ryou, do you have a chart of our location?"

The Navigator blinked, caught off-guard by the sudden summoning, then nodded quickly. "Yes, I do, but it's in the navigation room!"

"Go and fetch it, then!" Yugi ordered.

"Right." He nodded, then his expression changed to one of command. "Raphael, take the helm!"

The Watch Keeper did as he was bid, and Ryou dashed down the steps—white hair blazing behind him like the tail of a shooting star. Half a heartbeat later, he burst through the doors and, as quick as a messenger, laid a papyrus map full, open, and spread on a nearby grate.

"Here's our location." He pointed to an empty open spot in the center of the blue sea. Though scale made the landmasses look closer, the reality put the ship leagues away from dry land and further still from any of the Atlantian docks.

Yugi scrutinized the map carefully, making careful note of Ryou's prediction and adjustments with each check of the sun's position without stars for a more accurate reading, and the giant landmass just northeast of them that he knew immediately as Atlantis. But something was different about its illustration compared to the others. Red lines circumnavigated a centered triangle of land, and from it were three perpendicular lines in the shape of an odd triangle—each one connected directly to the sea.

"What's this here, Ryou?" Yugi asked, pointing to a straight black line jutting out from the heart of the Atlantian landmass and directly northeast of their position. "Is that an entrance?"

"Yes," the Sailing Master replied obediently. "That's the East Gate."

"And where's Locri?" he asked.

"There." Ryou pointed to a familiar spot on the map.

"What's the fastest way?"

"She's built for speed, so the fastest way is to sail along the coast to the West Gate," Ryou explained, outlining the trail with his finger. "Then straight through the first ring to Locri."

"And the East Gate?" Yugi insisted.

"It's closer, yes, but we'd have to sail the whole ring around the South and then haul the ship through the West Gate. It's a slower route and it would add at least another day."

"But if we sail northeast, we'll avoid the storm," Yugi pointed out with a smirk. His fingers traced both trails in parallel swoops. Immediately, the men scuttled closer to watch his movements. "Even if we sail along the coast, the wind's blowing east, so we'll sail right into it. We won't gain another day of sailing, yes, but take even _more_ damage. But if we head northeast to the East Gate, it's a straight path, by the looks of it. The storm will miss us completely, and once inside Atlantis, we'll have the added bonus of being able to sail without stopping—be it for storms or nightfall."

The Trierarch listened with keen insight. He smirked when the crowd around Yugi grew larger, hanging off his every syllable and none brokering an argument.

Then Yugi spun to see Timaeus smirking. "She's built for speed. We may yet arrive ahead of her sisters."

His eyes fell on Timaeus, awaiting his approval. The Trierarch's grin was exultant and beamish. "Indeed. I think we'd all like that after a fortnight at sea." He nodded.

"Alright," Ryou grinned, gathering up the map. "You heard them, men! Rig those sails and prepare to come about! We're headed northeast!" _Them._ He spoke of the decision and of them no longer as just Trierarch and Consort—but as a single, authoritative unity.

With a vociferous cheer, the sailors scrambled up and down the masts, along the rigging like a colony of spiders about a giant web. Tugging ropes and reefing huge, green and emerald sails until the masts shifted and the colony of triangular sails changed its shape. A howl echoed on the wind as the sails unfurled and redirected it like wings swimming on the currents of the air with a loud whistling sound.

The rest of the men scrambled below and before long, the two long rows of oars heaved and strained. Down below, the deck tilted, creaked, and swerved into its turn. Yugi's balance faltered from the sudden sharpness of it, unused to the unstable shifts and flows of the open deck. Timaeus' awaiting cloak caught him easily and he hefted him up by the shoulders, so they appeared more of a stabilized front than a knight catching his damsel. Yugi smiled gratefully. With the next shift, he spun into it and found himself standing by the railing, eyes locked on the offing where the sunset and the northeast ocean collapsed together in a single blend of colors like two lovers at rest. Together, the two watched as the galley known as _The_ _Eye of Timaeus_ heeled to starboard and prepared to come about.

At the heart of it all, Yugi beamed so brightly and his smile radiated so much confidence that, for a moment, Timaeus wanted nothing more than to kiss him. But there was work to be done, a course to set, and destinations to change. The deck was a place for orders and dictations, not fondness and pleasantries. There would be a time and place for that later.

Still, Timaeus thought, Yugi looked so happy and Timaeus was so proud of him that it seemed cruel not to give him some type of reward.

His lips parting with the faintest whisper, Timaeus leaned in—then just beyond the wisp of his blind eye, he caught Otogi limping back towards the stern. He spun around immediately.

Yugi felt the sudden shift in his stature and turned around.

"Otogi!" Yugi called him first, then rushed to block his path. "Where are you going?"

"Up the stern," Otogi replied, though not unkindly. "They'll need me to—"

Yugi's brows knitted together at the brush-off. "Not with that arm you are not," he asserted, stern-eyed and lips a narrow frown.

"Just so," Otogi protested, more chivalrous than argumentative. "I'm able-bodied enough and—AH!" With the gentlest of touches, Yugi tapped his wounded arm. Whatever endurance the man had prepared to defend died in his throat. The sound that followed lasted half a heartbeat—a wracked, aggrieved shout—but it was enough to confirm his condition. He wrenched away hissing, and clenched the railing with his good arm for support.

Yugi's neutral mask did not soften.

"Just nothing, alright," he stated, harsh and hard. Then his eyes softened. "Your arm is fractured; the bones need to set. Until then, the pain will cloud your mind and worse yet, you could lose your mobility if it doesn't heal properly."

Otogi's face contorted between frustration and fear. "I'm the _Bosun_ ," he protested, but the remark felt watery and overused.

"And I'd rather have my bosun rested and able-bodied than working himself into a crippled state," Timaeus stepped in conclusively. Otogi was dutiful but stubborn. His presentism was admirable but unsafe. Otogi spun to him, and for the slightest moment, his eyes flickered with fear. Timaeus allowed his gaze to soften, but his tone did not lack authority. "You heard him." He jerked his chin towards Yugi.

Otogi's face said he wanted to protest, but faced with both their unyielding masks, he ultimately hunched his shoulders, defeated.

A soft hand brushed his shoulder and gently shoved him to his feet. When he looked down, Yugi was warmly smiling. "Rest easy, Mr. Otogi," he mollified. "Timaeus did not make you Boatswain for your muscly arms." He whispered his assurance, not wanting the man to appear weak. "He needed a man with wits for planning, scheduling, and assigning work."

Otogi's face was blank, his lips a frown—but his eyes were grateful. He hissed when he moved his bandaged arm. The other moved to grab it but Yugi caught it and shook his head.

"Go to the infirmary," he ordered gently. "I'll fetch you some herbs for the pain."

Otogi nodded and departed down the steps. Yugi was close behind him. Seizing his chance, Timaeus stepped forward and grabbed Yugi's hand. The younger man spun to him, a question forming on his lips, but it was swallowed by Timaeus' kiss.

It was a quick kiss—fugacious and no more than a heartbeat—but for Timaeus and his consort, it may as well have been a thousand years, and with it, he poured all his respect, admiration, and the faintest traces of pride. When he pulled away a moment later and gazed into Yugi's wide eyes, he whispered low and sultry in his ear, "Well done." He punctured it with a kiss to the cheek and flashed his brightest, beamish smile—glowing with all the receptivity he had for the younger.

It was all he said before he pulled away. He had already lingered far too long and there was work that needed to be done. But out of the corner of his emerald eye, he caught Yugi proudly beaming and his whole expression brightened with laughter and accomplishment.

The faintest trace of a smile curled at Timaeus' lips, and it stayed there long after his little one had disappeared below deck and _The Eye_ had successfully come about to kiss the wind.

X X X

Yugi skipped down the steps to the infirmary, his smile wide and face beaming. Timaeus' proud face and approving eyes were still visible each time he closed his eyes and felt a tingle on his lips. That kiss had ended much too early for his liking—he'd barely had any time to appreciate it, let alone respond—but he understood why. There was work to be done, and Otogi needed Yugi and the crew needed Timaeus. Open flirtations and obvious displays of affection were for the bed chamber not on the open deck where all eyes were on them judging for any sign of weakness.

Yet still Timaeus had risked stealing a kiss from him.

Yugi covered his mouth to keep from giggling, cheeks flushing pink. He let out the last of his laughter and shook himself to regain his composure. _Not yet_ , he told himself, but followed it with a promise. _Not yet._

His crewmate needed him first. He journeyed through the mess deck and into the galley where Rhebekka already had a thick bowl of boiled potatoes prepared and grills of fish cooling on the racks. Water still bubbled over a doused fire, so Yugi fished a mug full of it and started up the backstairs to the infirmary.

Otogi sat patiently on one of the swinging cots, his arm sling resting peacefully on his lap. He watched Yugi set the steaming mug down on a table, then pull out a bowl and a small elongated tool from the cabinet, and search through bottles and jars of dried herbs for a replacement for poppy seed.

"I'm grateful," he said again, less begrudging than before.

Yugi spun to him, jar in hand, and blinked. "Pardon?"

"My arm," Otogi repeated, not looking at him. "I've not been kind to you and you still could've chosen to leave me, but you didn't. I am grateful to you for that." His voice sounded so hollow and heavy under the weight of its own regret.

"You don't have to—" Yugi started, but Otogi cut him off.

"I know I don't," he said sharply, but not unkindly. His jaw clenched with a quiver and his eyebrows twitched like crawling, uncertain insects. "But I am. And I want you to know it."

Immediately, Yugi understood—and to spare the man's pride further, he simply smiled and nodded. "You're welcome." When Otogi nodded back, he returned to the cabinet and pulled out a large leafy green sprig, stripping it of its many star-shaped leaves, and began grinding them into a powdery paste.

Otogi stared at the wall, gnawing his lip between his teeth. A question hung loose on his tongue and heavy in his mind, unsure if he was worthy of asking it.

As if asking it would somehow change anything.

"Did you love him, then?"

Yugi dropped the pestle into the mortar, startled. He spun so quickly he nearly spilled the evening's work.

"Who—Timaeus?"

"Who else?" Otogi chuckled, but his eyes had not left the wall. "You were betrothed to him, weren't ya? Or was that just a story to please the masses?" he said in a jocular voice, but Yugi heard no humor in it.

Yugi just stared at him, too frozen to speak, but Otogi's next words dragged him out from his stupor. "Or are we all just bodyguards ushering you to safety?"

Yugi snorted at that. "That was my brother's doing, not mine. I never agreed to it."

That seemed to have taken the man by surprise. "I don't understand." He tried to sit up, but the swaying of the cot and his injured arm allowed for minimal movement. "If you didn't want to marry him, then—"

"Oh, I was never against marrying him, if that's what you think," Yugi confessed softly, returning to his work. He dumped the ground contents into the mug and started stirring. "I was mad at him, certainly. Had he outright asked me, I would have not hesitated. But once my safety became an issue, I… started thinking that his interests in me were only that of… duty and not desire. I was ready to hate him forever for that."

Otogi blinked at that, surprised. Suddenly, the boy's earlier behavior at the start of their journey made sense. "And you didn't ask him about it?" He was astonished. "You were alone with him all that night and most of the morning. We all know he didn't touch you. Surely you must've talked some?"

Yugi blushed and stopped stirring—his color the dark burning red of shame. "Well, rather… it was _he_ who talked, and I refused to listen. He tried to explain but I wouldn't hear of it—the lot of good it did the both of us… If I'm being honest, I think I was avoiding talking to him in case it _was_ only duty he saw in our union." He continued stirring, though the leaves had already dissolved. It felt odd discussing something so personal and unexplored with someone who was virtually a stranger and, not an hour earlier, considered him an adversary. And yet something about it felt strangely clarifying… as if by speaking it out loud, he was able to believe it in his heart and not just state it in his mind.

"And _had_ he asked you properly?" Otogi asked, more curious than anything else.

Yugi set the mug down, a blush crossing his face—but there was no doubt or hesitation in his voice. "I would've said yes." He didn't even have to think about it.

"Then… do you?" Otogi repeated his first question, but there was an added uncertainty to it. "Tell me truly: do you love him? _Really_ love him, I mean. Not just want to bed him—I know you want that, and he does, as well—but do you _love_ him?"

 _Did_ he love him? Beyond the desire Timaeus awakened in him with each kiss, and the carnal pleasures his flesh craved with his every touch? Yugi had to think about it. All of it was still _so_ new to him, he almost wondered if he had enough knowledge of the situation to earnestly decide. It would be a lie if he said he didn't, but to confess it so soon would be a worse one.

"I'm… not certain." It was the only answer he could give.

Then he turned around, the mug still steaming in his hands, and smiled down at the glowing amber liquid inside. "But I… _am_ falling for him. I _was_ before in Kemet, but now… I can't explain it, but every day, it grows deeper. If I had to guess when it started, I suppose it was that night on the ship, when we spoke for the first time and he had listened to me and held me. No one had ever done that for me before… I guess I loved him then… I guess… I do."

He was speaking more to himself than anyone else. He'd almost forgotten Otogi was in the room until he heard the ropes of the cot creak, and he looked up to see Otogi was shaking as he laid himself down.

"Mr. Otogi?" he asked, concerned, and set the mug down on the stand beside him. The man wasn't shaking violently, but his face stared at the wall—reflective and distant and with the slightest hint of remorse. "How are you feeling?" he asked, apprehensive.

"Like a fool," Otogi confessed, closing his eyes. His chuckle was humorless. "Like a damned fool."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since last chapter ended up being more Otogi and Yugi with Timaeus as a caemo i switched it so the beginning of this chapter was from Timaeus' POV and it flowed SO MUCH better when i did! It was so much fun showing off his pride side and how turned on he is by Yugi taking control and showing how he can handle a situation...huge step forward for Yugi in two fold! XD
> 
> And the ending was to confirm for Otogi what Ryou, Rhebekka and Timaeus already know...so three down and one to go, and that last one is gonna be the toughest one yet! and i've got the SWEETEST plan for it ;)
> 
> I had to so a LOT of research on storms, winds, the Mediterranean and a butt load of other stuff to get this chapter accurate-and i wanted to get them to Locri as soon as possible but still have time to add all the other stuff i wanted so this helped! Man this is a long arc isn't it?
> 
> Glossary
> 
> Bosun — nautical term; another term for Boatswain or the superior office responsible for all the components of the ship's hull and deck—though more in terms of planning, making schedules, supervising, etc.
> 
> Jamsins — from the Arabic "khamsin", an oppressive, hot southerly or southeasterly wind blowing in Egypt in spring. This is a sandstorm carried by hot winds of the South, which causes extensive damage to crops and inconvenience to humans and animals. These storms often occur in the first months of the year.
> 
> haboob – (Arabic: هَبوب habūb "blasting/drafting") is a type of intense dust storm in North Africa and the Arabian peninsula created when a thunderstorm collapses.
> 
> Downburst — modern storm; a fierce and can be dangerous series of winds that are straight lined in all directions and precede a fierce thunderstorm.
> 
> Notes on Time and Distance:
> 
> Just a little reminder: the Ancient Egyptians counted days differently than we do today, so a week was ten days and a month was three weeks, so a fortnight (as Timaeus explains) would be about two ten-days or 20 days (two weeks). I had to double check that twice because I wanted Timaeus and Yugi to have enough time to steam over, argue, and then reconcile, but also keep accurate to how long it's taking them to get to Locri, especially given the Eye of Timaeus is known for speed. Fortunately, my research on the Mediterranean and sea voyages helped out with that and since they've been going against the wind, or had no wind and had oars—taking into consideration they only sail during the day, so the boat is stagnant at night, and taking into account how stormy the Mediterranean was and how storms affect travel distance and time—I estimate they've been on the water for about 20 days and are directly south of Greece right now. So that storm I had them face served an additional purpose.
> 
> A bit of geography: I have Atlantis situated as the landmass between Italy and Greece in what is today known as the Ionian Sea, and the way it's set up is that the capital island is in the middle of the sea and then it's a giant land mass surrounded by three river wings of water, and cutting through each of these is a waterway that connects to the sea in a triangle shape (I drew a map of it) so as it is now they ARE at Atlantis—it's directly North East of them—but since they need to get to Locri which is the west, they'd have to skim along the coast towards the toe of Italy then travel diagonally toward that entrance to the most outer ring and then sail directly to Locri. Yugi's plan is to sail through the East entrance, located just west of the tip of modern Greece, sail diagonally on that channel to the outermost ring and then sail that loop to Locri. I estimate it will still take a few days (since Atlantis is huge and they ARE still traveling through, so possibly 5-7 days) but this way, instead of sailing on the coast which is further distance but on open sea which may be faster if there's wind, they can avoid the risk of storms by taking the river, which is a shorter distance but it's slower obviously.
> 
> Next Update: February 21st
> 
> Next Time: A forgotten face makes a spotlight, Yugi makes a fascinating discover and Timaeus gives his brave little consort a "reward" for all his hard work.
> 
> As always read, review, comment, critique, ask questions, have fun and go nuts!


	42. 42: Symptoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A forgotten face makes a spotlight, Yugi makes a fascinating discover and Timaeus gives his brave little consort a "reward" for all his hard work.

_Chapter XLII: Symptoms_

"What's this called again?" Otogi sipped the tea given to him in quick gulps, surprised by the rich sweetness of it, as opposed to the bitter smoothness the milk of the poppy provided.

"Cannabis tea," Yugi replied, cleaning up. "It's used as a sedative, often to treat sore eyes and pain. Traditionally, we burn it and you inhale the smoke, but it has a tendency to fog the mind if you do it that way. As a tea, though, the foolishness takes longer—if at all—so you feel the pain relief sooner and you still have your mind. My ancestors found it more effective than poppy seed and far less tantalizing."

"It's good," Otogi complimented, downing the last bit. He rolled his shoulder experimentally. The earlier stiffness had all but vanished. The fracture still stung, but the strength of the cast and the tea lessened the pain to a bearable ache.

"I warn you, though." Yugi spun around and leaned against the cabinet, eyes fixated on his patient. "It works best with a lot of rest." It was both advisory and stern direction.

Otogi understood clearly enough when the sedative effect Yugi had mentioned started to cause his mind to blur and his eyes to become heavy. "Aye," he yawned. "I can live with that," was all he said before he made himself comfortable, his sling-wrapped arm braced against the wooden side, and fell into the deep abyss of sleep.

Yugi just smiled. "Rest well, my friend. I'll bring you some food when you wake up," he promised, and skimmed the room fully for the first time. "As soon as I find our missing Quartermaster." Absent from the kitchen and the infirmary, and knowing well that she did not use the Quartermaster's cabin once Yugi had been relocated to the Great Cabin, Yugi deduced only one other place she could be.

"Rhebekka! Wake up!" He hammered on the surgeon's chamber door, the other hand fiddling with the handle, and pushed it open with a bang. "It's well past midday and you're still—" The sentence caught in his throat and died there. The mug he'd been holding dropped with a loud wooden clatter to the floor in his shock.

"Rhebekka!" he screamed, and rushed over to the collapsed girl. He found her unconscious and half-flopped over the side of her bed, her skin abnormally pale and her blonde hair haggard in a dirty mess of tangles like it hadn't been washed or brushed in a week. Her arms were stretched towards the urn in the corner. The stench of bile hit Yugi like a slap of rotted meat, and he choked on the smell of it and covered his face.

"Rhebekka…" he coughed out, and carefully rolled the woman onto her back. Though pale, her face had a feverish flush and her bangs clung damply to her sweaty forehead. Her pale lips were parted slightly and wet, like she'd downed a heavy drink and passed out before she could wipe the excess away. At least her breathing was stable, Yugi noticed with immediate relief. The fever-red flush had not spread to her chest. Her surgeon dress was creased and wrinkled from sleep, and the bodice had come undone about her chest and stomach, exposing her cleavage in side flashes.

Carefully, so as not to discomfort her, Yugi shook her shoulders, calling softly, "Rhebekka, Rhebekka. Wake up." It did nothing. "Rhebekka," he called louder, shaking her a little harder. Her reaction was a slur of grumbled and sleep-spoken murmurs as she rolled back onto her side and pillowed her chest and head in the folds of her arms.

"Rhebekka!" Yugi half-shouted and shoved her back roughly. She shuddered with the action and the jolt stimulated her body just enough to regain consciousness.

"What!?" she grouched, her eyes filmy.

"Are you alright?" Yugi asked, uncertain. "You looked…" He couldn't finish.

Rhebekka blinked, then shook her head wildly and pulled out a small copper plate that served as a looking glass. She gasped for a moment then laughed, rough and scratchy. "Well, damn me!" She threw back her hair like a veil and pulled herself up. She washed her vase in a basin of water, dumped the contents of the urn out the only window with a latch, shouted for a brush while she fixed her ribbons, and hissed loudly and tossed them aside.

"Are you alright?" Yugi asked, hesitantly handing her a wooden comb.

"I'm fine," she groaned, massaging her breasts and belly. "Damn thing was just uncomfortable."

"You looked terrible, and you were vomiting," Yugi choked, feeling his throat constrict—the memory of that stench churning his own stomach. "I mean… that wasn't from my—" he paused, the pit in his stomach no longer turning but still making him feel sick, "—my soup, was it?" he finally choked out and held his belly, suddenly nauseous. He was no gastronome when it came to cooking, but surely it hadn't…

She spun to him, her face a bewildered mask. With her dress done, her hair brushed, and her face cooled and cleared by water, she looked every inch the proper lady—and it was almost impossible to imagine the feeble, sickly girl Yugi has seen sprawled across the bed moments before.

"Oh, wipe the worry from your face." The girl gave a nonchalant wave. " 'Twas nothing you did. That damn storm just made me seasick, is all. It fades by midday." She dropped the comb onto the dresser and stretched her arms wide over the other, then arched backwards in a slight, perfect crescent. She held the position still, then relaxed and shook the tiredness from her muscles.

"Just so, what'd I miss?"

Yugi told her.

When he was finished, her eyes widened like a bullfrog's and she burst out laughing. "Well, damn me, I take a nap for once and I miss everything!" she chuckled. "And Otogi _apologized_ to you? I thought I'd be an old crone before I saw the day that stubborn git apologized for anything! Ha ha!" Her laughter was rich, full of mirth, and so refreshing after such a taxing day that Yugi could only laugh with her.

"Well, in his defense, I wasn't the kindest healer," Yugi admitted, recalling the men's skittish responses to his snapping orders.

"Oh, bah!" Rhebekka scoffed, downing a swig of fresh water from the scuttlebutt. "Kindness is for recovery, like your Goddess Mut. But when you're slaying disease and saving lives with nothing more than a sprig of plants, a bucket of water, and some wraps, I say ya bite your tongue and let the lioness roar." She said it with a smirk so arrogant, it could've been mistaken for cruel. Suddenly, she coughed and slammed the mug down hard. Yugi jumped to her side.

"Oh, don't fuss," she said, pulling herself up. "Drank too fast, is all." She brushed it off—though Yugi's frown made it clear he was not convinced. Rhebekka ignored him. "Come, come, we've got dinner to fix."

"You already made dinner," Yugi corrected, cool and even. "The potatoes and the fish."

"That'll never be enough," Rhebekka said, starting for the stairs. "Just so, I've must've been asleep for hours so it's probably all gone bad by now."

"Then let me finish it," Yugi snapped, grabbing her arm when she nearly stumbled. She fixed him with a glare but Yugi did not flinch. "Seasick or not, you might be contagious. You, above all, should know the risks of you being ill in any way."

She glared at him harder, but her eyes flickered with something that wasn't anger. Yugi recognized it at once: a spark of rejection—fear. The same Otogi's eyes had shared just before Yugi convinced him to go to the infirmary.

He released her arm and squeezed her hand instead. "You already do so much, Rhebekka," Yugi assured. "As Quartermaster, as well as your other duties. You deserve some rest."

With a begrudging snort, she relented, but did not do so quietly. Stomping her feet and vocalizing voluminous protests the entire trip back to her bed, she finally plopped down and only quieted when she allowed herself to pass out—like a child protesting bedtime. Yugi giggled and covered her with a blanket, then left to finish the dinner she started.

Before long, there were racks of dried fish—grilled and seasoned with lemon and garlic—and a large pot of baked potatoes, seasoned with garlic and an assortment of herbs he'd chosen specifically for their strong circulatory properties. He distributed the plates on the tables just as the crew started piling down for dinner. Yugi quickly filled two plates for Otogi and Rhebekka, and escaped the boisterous ruckus through the back steps to the infirmary. He set Otogi's on the table and left Rhebekka's in her room, where she devoured it greedily.

He took his and Timaeus' portions back to the sterncastle, a tradition they'd started in prelude to Timaeus' evening kiss. A grin spread across his blushing face. Quickening his pace, he found the Navigation Room alit with candles. The maps and markers were cleared away, replaced by a silk tablecloth set with pewter silverware and lotus-embossed glasses. The butterflies fluttering in his stomach burst into a kaleidoscope; his smile nearly split his face. Now where was his husband? he wondered.

No sooner had he set the plates down that he had his answer. Timaeus spun him around and kissed him hard on the mouth. Yugi's lips parted with no resistance and he wove his arms around the other's neck. Timaeus kissed him long and deep with a sweet and restless tongue. He pressed Yugi's back deeper into the table. Yugi hissed into the kiss, but found the pain invigorating and raised his hips higher. His fingers wove into the elder's hair and pulled.

Timaeus kissed him harder, his hands finding Yugi's hips and hiking him onto the table. Strong hands pushed apart his thighs and pulled Yugi flush against him. Yugi broke the kiss with a loud gasp of shock, barely able to catch his breath before Timaeus found his lips again—kissing him with wild, reckless abandon.

He let go of Timaeus' neck. One hand gripped the rim of the table, steading him weakly; the other snaked around the man's broad shoulders and pulled him closer. His lips and tongue loosened, completing the formalities of surrender. Tiny sparks burst across his skin where Timaeus touched him, until Yugi couldn't remember anything else but this man's caress and the taste of his soft lips.

Then it ended with a small pop and a loud, panting gasp. Their limbs detangled and their faces met, flushed and wild-eyed. Timaeus seized Yugi by the shoulders and pulled him so close he could almost taste the ghost of the other's lips. "You were magnificent." His voice was all breath, his eyes blazing.

"Thank you," Yugi panted through an impish smirk.

Timaeus went to steal another kiss, but his lips found Yugi's finger instead.

"Not too hasty, love," Yugi teased coquettishly, though his lips and skin burned for more contact. "Our agreement is for _one_ kiss in the evening. You must wait until tonight for the next one."

Timaeus' emerald eye blazed wild and green, but the other bore a muted patience like a lioness in hunting. His lips curled with accepted challenge—with a smile that nearly slit his face and made Yugi shiver. He leaned tantalizingly close, his breath warming Yugi's lips, and his words feathered over Yugi's ears. "Then I shall do my best to be patient." He sealed the promise with an intoxicatingly slow kiss to the cheek. Then placed another on Yugi's chin, then down his neck, towards his collar, then lower still—

"W-Wait a minute…" Yugi's tongue stumbled over the words, his control slipping. "Didn't you just promise—"

"I did," Timaeus said against his skin, his face buried against the junction of Yugi's throat and littered it with kisses. "But you never said I couldn't kiss you elsewhere instead, did you?"

Yugi felt that devilish smirk of his curling against his skin, and so he chuckled and playfully punched his shoulder.

Then too quickly for his dazed mind to comprehend it, Timaeus pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Unless… you wish for me to stop?" All the humor was gone from his eyes, but his smile was gentle. "Do you wish for me to stop?"

The question made him pause for a minute. _Did_ he want him to stop? The past few days with him like this had been pure bliss, like they had been those pleasant days back in Djanet, where they'd spend them together and conclude them with kisses that left him breathless and giggling and barely able to sleep in expectation for tomorrow. The argument and events that all but ruined them seemed no more than a disturbing nightmare he'd woken up from, and one Timaeus' kisses and affections had chased away.

But there was another question in the first one—one that left Yugi bursting with uncertainty. Did he trust him? If he accepted him, allowed himself to _truly_ be his, would Timaeus become his lover? If not in consumption, then in some form, at least?

He felt the heat of the other's breath and Yugi looked into his eyes, and saw the hesitance in them—like he was holding back some terrible, ferocious beast he did not wish for the other to see, but would do anything within his power to protect him from. But it was there—waiting, hoping, praying for the other to accept him, to forgive him, to trust him, to believe him. Yugi looked at him deeply, and for a moment, he said nothing.

Then he took the other's face in his hands and smiled.

"No." There was no doubt or hesitation in his answer. "I want you to keep kissing me."

Timaeus needed no further instruction. Bursting with delight, his hands clenched and slammed against the table, trapping Yugi's hips between them—but the younger simply tilted his chin, presenting his neck for more kisses. He surrendered to Timaeus' talented lips and tongue. His fingers gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his nails left grooves on the wood, never so pleased to have to lose a game. But after a few minutes of torturous reward, he heard the faint clinking of plates through his serenade of moans, and so he titled his face to the side—causing Timaeus to miss his cheek and kiss behind his ear.

"As much as I would love to continue this, we need to eat," he explained, gently shoving Timaeus away with the greatest of reluctance. "Or else supper's not going to keep."

Begrudgingly, Timaeus pulled away. "Forgive me," he said, breathless. "I find it more and more difficult to hold myself back around you," he confessed, stroking Yugi's cheek.

Yugi giggled, blushing. He couldn't explain why the comment pleased him so.

Timaeus helped him to his chair, poured them both wine from the private reserve, and held his glass in a toast. "You were brilliant today," he praised and took a small sip. "I said you would be."

Yugi flushed and grinned. "Aye, you did. Perhaps I should take your advice more often if it leads to such wonderful rewards." He smiled coquettishly. Timaeus' eyes were blazing again, dark as desire—but bright as danger.

"Aye." He slid his chair closer. "Perhaps you should."

"Eat your fish before it spoils." Yugi blushed, sensing his control once again wavering under the weight of Timaeus' spell. Why was it so easy to fall for him? Why did his every promise hold such sway over Yugi's spirit that he felt like he was drowning, yet he had no desire to swim? Why did a single spontaneous kiss or perfectly-placed gesture leave him breathless and spinning? "Rhebekka and I worked hard to prepare it." He changed the subject quickly.

Timaeus chuckled, but adhered. "How fares our ever-boisterous Quartermaster?"

"Exhausted and ill, though she does her best to hide it," Yugi said with a loud, worried snort.

Timaeus frowned. "I was surprised to see her not even once this evening. How fares she?"

"She kept to her bed for most of it. She said she was only seasick, but I know it's more than that—even if she won't listen to reason." He gripped the fork tight between his fingers, his words laced with frustrated concern.

Timaeus sighed heavily into his hands and shook his head. "It does not surprise me." His words sounded exhausted. "Rhebekka is the finest surgeon, cook, and First Mate I'd seen in all my years. She could kill a bear with her strength and ride a storm with her temper, but she's the most stubborn creature that was ever spat out of the ocean. One of these days, her presentism is going to get her killed—or worse, relieved of duty."

"I agree," Yugi said, then paused a bit to ponder. "But what bothers me are her symptoms. Has she been seasick before?"

"Never that I have seen," Timaeus answered. "She's been in my service nay three years, has seen more storms and rough waters than some of my most seasoned sailors—and not once have they unnerved her. There was once a storm that had the fiercest and most indomitable number of ship-hands retching over the rails, but all she did was holler and stomp about the rain howling orders. She was so loud, I questioned what was worse—the storm or her lost temper."

"Aye." Yugi pondered, taking small bites from his food. "It is so odd, though." He thought about it again, deducing her behavior. "The first time, she said it was stress from our fighting, but that's not been an issue for days—and even if it was, it would not cause her daily sickness nor cause her to sleep nearly all evening."

"She _has_ been much more frazzled as of late, it seems," Timaeus added. "I thought her mood would've improved by now."

"Her appetite's not changed either," Yugi noted, remembering. If anything, she was eating more. "And this evening, she was complaining about pains in her chests. She said her bodice was uncomfortable but—"

It struck Yugi suddenly, and his eyes expanded at the memory. The memory of a peculiar glow to her cheeks before she wiped her face, and the way her dress fell so loosely around her hips when the bodice was removed, and the barely-visible bulge to her midsection…

"Timaeus…?" Yugi suddenly asked.

The elder looked up with a baffled blink.

Yugi flushed at the question, unsure of how to ask it. His fingers played with the fork, then eventually folded his hands on his lap. "Um, Rhebekka… She's married, correct?"

"Aye," Timaeus said, wiping his fingers—his plate a pile of fish bones and wet potato skins. "To my First, if you'll recall."

"Aye," Yugi nodded, face turning redder. "And you and she have been at sea for, nay, three months?"

"Oh, half that," Timaeus estimated. "The journey here was not as treacherous as the one home—took no more than a ten-day by my estimate. I'd say it shall be little over two months by the time we return."

It made sense, Yugi thought—his mother's words coming back to him. "And she and her husband, had they…" His cheeks burned. "Do you suppose they were… _intimate_ before your voyage?" The words were a muffled squeak, meek with embarrassment.

"Ah! I'd be more concerned if they hadn't," Timaeus said with a throaty chuckle. "Once they married, they were together so frequently that I had no choice but to set them up in a house in the village. If you think Rhebekka is loud when she's angry, you should hear her when she's pleasured. Not a soul on the island has slept decently since that girl was married."

The final piece fell into place, revealing the puzzle. All earlier embarrassment and concern melted instantly and Yugi's face bloomed into a brilliant, ecstatic smile once the reality of it has set in. "Oh, damn me!" He burst out laughing, so loud and blithely that Timaeus blinked. "I spent my youth surrounded by women, yet how did I not think of that!"

"Yugi, what is it?" Timaeus asked, concerned and confused.

"Damn me, that _does_ explain it," Yugi chuckled. "That explains it, indeed!"

"Yugi…" Timaeus stuttered weakly.

Yugi burst out laughing again, ignorant of the color draining from his lover's face. "I can't believe she didn't think of it herself! She's going to thrash herself something fierce when I tell her!"

"Yugi!" Timaeus shot up suddenly, his hands slamming the table. "What _are_ you talking about?!"

The delirious happiness melted into a surprised expression as Yugi spun to face his exasperated husband. His eyes were wide and wild like a scared beast, and his skin had grown pale with worry.

"If there is something wrong with Rhebekka, I'll have you tell me! She is not just a valued Quartermaster, but a dear friend as well!"

A moment of clarity struck him and Yugi buried his face in his hands. "Oh, drats. I'm sorry, love," he started to apologize—but then a wicked idea formed. "Timaeus…" He looked up, smiling. "I afraid we'll have to increase my training. Rhebekka won't be able to continue as your Quartermaster. She's going to be… indisposed for a while, I'm afraid."

"Indisposed?!" Timaeus blanched. "Why?! Is she really that ill? How long?!" Questions flew from the man's mouth before he could stop him, and Yugi was torn between laughing and comforting him.

"No, she's not ill, exactly. As for how long, that's a question I won't know for sure until I speak to her, but if I'm right, she still has a good six or seven months before she'll need to retire. After that, I'd say at least two years, maybe three?"

"Three years!?" Timaeus jumped with a horrified screech.

Yugi started then giggled. "Of course! She'll need at least a year to care for it, another to raise it, and it'll be nursing till 'tis three, of course—" He stopped himself, then considered something he hadn't. "Wait, do Locrian women nurse their babes or bottle them? I should've asked that first."

That final sentence froze Timaeus in place. His jaw dropped, then suddenly, he took a step back and plopped into his chair. It crushed under him with a creak.

A smile Yugi couldn't hold back plastered across his face. "Never mind. I'll ask Rhebekka. 'Tis hers, after all." He cleared the empty dishes himself and placed a sweet kiss on Timaeus' cheek.

"I'll be back in a minute. Don't come after us if you hear screaming. She'll only be scolding herself, I promise," he said with a wink, and left the room.

Timaeus' head was still spinning. His mind emptied at Yugi's departure and struggled to organize the sudden flow of memories. Slowly, he began to process the information then piece it together. _Six or seven months, a year to care it, another to nurse… nurse, bottle, babe… babe…_

With an exasperated sigh somewhere between a laugh and a gasp, he rested his forehead on his palm and rubbed his face. "Rhebekka's carrying a babe…" Once he had said the words out loud, freeing them into the universe, it suddenly became true. The simplicity of it suddenly crashed against the complete and utter reality of it and what it meant. He thought of someone else, who still needed to be told, and what his reaction would be.

Timaeus closed his eyes, exhaled, and shook his head. "Now, won't that be merry news when we reach home?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XDXDXDXDXD Now you know what's been going on with Rhebekka. Many of you got i already but I still tried to make it as less obvious as possible ;) and of course Yugi's the one to figure out-bet this was the LAST thing on their minds.
> 
> The make out scenes I'm actually very proud of-especially cause its a second edition, i edited at the request of my beta and i LOVE how much better it came out! Course after doing such an awesome job on deck, Timaeus had to reward Yugi ;) but also it turned into much more of a trust exercise for them-and a real step forward for them both emotionally and intimately-but of course neither of them is giving up this little cat and mouse game of who will break first any time soon ;)
> 
> As I said, i have about four to five more chapters and then we will finally be in Locri! YAY! (phew!) I gotta say this arc took a LOT longer than i thought it would a LOT more development than I originally planned but it was totally worth it!
> 
> NEXT UPDATE: MARCH 15TH (MARCH 8TH if I can get these chapters finished , so wish me luck!)
> 
> NEXT TIME: In light of this new development, Rhebekka makes a decision that turns everything and everyone on their heads!


	43. Declaration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance for the delay...I got back from my vacation a week ago and this week was crazy work wise, and i am still recovering from the flu. So thank you all for bearing with me! and special thanks to my comment-leavers and reviewers! You guys inspired me to finish the chapters i was REALLY inspired to write!

_Chapter XLIII: Declaration_

It had taken Rhebekka a full minute to process what Yugi had told her before she recovered enough to speak. "I'm… what?"

"You're carrying a babe," Yugi repeated. "It's the only thing that explains your symptoms."

She blinked once, then burst into laughter. "Well, damn me for not thinking of that a month ago!" she chuckled.

"I wasn't sure at first since there wasn't a lump," he explained. "Then I remembered Mother once told me how every woman carries a babe differently." He blushed at the fond memory of him as a curious, hapless child too young to understand what he was asking but old enough to be interested. His ever-patient mother had simply smiled. "Sometimes, you can't even tell they're carrying. For others, it's as clear as day, some show no signs of it, while the rest show the signs all at once."

"Ha!" Rhebekka said with a loud snort. "Well, aren't we just a pair, then? Two surgeons with a shipload of men under our care and we couldn't even tell one of them was with child. Won't that be a tale?"

Yugi shot her a look. "I resent that." He sounded insulted, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone that Rhebekka did not miss. "If I recall, it was you yourself who blamed your stress, then called it seasickness."

"Nay, brat," Rhebekka countered, imp-eyed and grinning. "I blamed you and Timaeus for causing my stress. And I'll have you know, I've been seasick during storms before. I'm just better at hiding it than most," she boasted proudly. " 'Twas a whole matter of things. I'm curious, though." She fixed him with a sly, cat-eyed smile and invaded his space with her leer. "What made you conclude there was a child in me and not something else?"

Yugi blushed. "Well… I knew you were married and you love your husband—" he tried to say, but she cut him off.

"Aye, but I've seen neither hide nor hair of my husband for nearly three months, and I am on a ship full of men, so do you wish to imply something?" She arched a brow teasingly.

Yugi blushed redder. "Of course not! I'd never… I mean, I was sure it must've been before but—"

"You had no confirmation," Rhebekka finished. "Oh, we fucked at least twice the night before I left," she said so bluntly that Yugi lost his voice. "And once more in the morning," she added with a grin and laughed at Yugi's shocked face. "If I was to be going half a season without the touch of a man, I damn well wanted to make sure I remembered it! But the question is how did _you_ know if we did or not?"

Yugi nearly stumbled when he tried to adjust his seat.

Rhebekka smirked. "Timaeus told you, didn't he?"

Yugi blanched. Rhebekka's smirk spread to a smile that curled at the corners. "Of course he'd know. I'm his Quartermaster; my husband is his First. He told you how he kicked us out of the main house for fucking too much, didn't he?"

Yugi's entire face suffused with color and his whole body went stiff. Rhebekka laughed so loud, she had to hold her sides. Yugi felt his face darken with each bell-like chime.

"Oh, don't look at me like that! There's no shame in enjoying your husband. You enjoy it when you kiss Timaeus, don't you?" Her smirk was an impish thing—a mischievous creature so adept at telling tales and exaggerating truths, it almost dared Yugi to try and trick it with a lie.

With a sharp glare that almost exhaled smoke from his nose and a blush he had no hope of concealing, he changed the subject. "With the rate conception takes and how you left Locri three months ago, you should be about seven or eight ten-days by now."

With a smirk that curled, she shook her head slowly. "Aye. Eight, more likely," she agreed, letting it slide. Plopping down on the couch, she patted her flat belly gently, almost disappointed there was no lump there. "So I'm carrying a babe. If you're right, she may be nine by the time we reach home. Ah, won't that be a shock for the man?" She had a wicked face on that looked halfway between a delighted smile and a vengeful snicker.

Yugi shook his head. "How do you know it's a girl?" Certainly boys were more favorable as a first-born, but there was no true certainty of gender until the child was born—unless Atlantis had discovered a solution to that, as well?

Rhebekka smiled. "I've been sick nearly a week, dining on nothing but apples, nauseous each morning, and all her bouncing's made my temper sharper. My mother was the same when she carried me. Believe me, the brat's a girl," she said, absolutely certain. Then a pondering look replaced her delight. "This is going to be a problem, though."

"What is?" Yugi asked, confused.

"Unless…" The girl continued pondering, then her eyes brightened. "Oh, yes, it's perfect!"

"What is?" Yugi asked again, bewildered.

Instead of an answer, Rhebekka seized him by the wrist and flew them out the infirmary door and across the deck, moving at such graceful speed that Yugi struggled to catch up with her.

She swung the Grand Castle doors open. They found Timaeus still seated where Yugi had left him. He spun to the sound of the doors crashing open, his face the mask of the Trierarch in Rhebekka's presence—though his eyes betrayed him when they fell on Yugi gasping, Rhebekka's hand still tight around his wrist.

"Trierarch?" Rhebekka began in her sweetest yet sternest voice. She let go of Yugi's hand and gave a low bow. "As I'm sure your consort has made you aware of my condition, I have a request for you."

Timaeus arched a brow, though his gazed shifted to Yugi. He offered Timaeus a smile and took a seat on the couch to settle his breath.

Rhebekka smiled brightly at the show of affection, then hardened her face. "Just so," she began. Timaeus spun to her, his chiseled features thoughtful but his eyes shadowed. Once more, he was the intimidating and sardonic Trierarch, and she the haughty Quartermaster.

He said nothing. He did not need to. Not to her. Yugi watched the scene unfold with fascination until Rhebekka smiled.

"In light of these recent events, I need you to relieve me of my duties immediately."

Their faces dropped.

"I beg your pardon?" Timaeus blinked twice, uncertain if he'd heard her correctly. Yugi was too stunned to speak.

"I still intend to be your Quartermaster, but I will simply have to take a less active role. As the previous events have shown, in my current condition, I can no longer perform my duties to the fullest extent of my abilities. I'll need assistance." An impish glint sparkled behind her eyes.

Timaeus recognized it at once and smirked. "We're in agreement."

Yugi spoke up, sensing he was missing something. "That's all good and done, but who can we find to take on the extra work under such short—" Their gazes turned to him, all plotting eyes and curled smirks, and he stopped. "… Why are you both smiling at me like that?"

X X X

The men were not pleased when Timaeus rang the summons. They were even less so when neither their Trierarch, his consort, nor their absentee Quartermaster were not already stationed at the stern and ready to give whatever command it was that was so grievous that they were forced to leave their hot meals and warm hammocks behind. Nonetheless, they did as they were bid with the same silent diligence and subservient respect that they always did. When the Trierarch still did not address them directly or show any signs of arriving, their tight lips loosened and rumors began to circulate. What was the announcement? Did it involve their wayward Quartermaster or his new consort? It must've been one of those for him to include both in the discussion but leave his other officers absent.

The sterncastle doors swung open, bringing with it a wave of silence. The company gathered, standing in a crowd off to the sides until only officers were left standing in the middle with none to their backs. Only Otogi was absent. They waited with fidgeting patience. No one spoke.

The Trierarch stood bedazzling in his armor and mantle and looking every inch the indomitable Trierarch they loved and respected. His sword hung at his waist, the curved blade a great shining thing like a fallen moon and just as fierce—but it remained sheathed, and the men relaxed when it stayed hidden.

Two figures stood on either side of him. Rhebekka was on his right, having exchanged her familiar surgeon smock for a long dress of dark green velvet that matched the emerald-cased spectacles she wore on her nose and the ribbons tying up her long hair. It did nothing to mar her elegance. If anything else, seeing her dressed in formalwear—a reflection of her status both on and outside _The Eye's_ sphere of influence—made her look more intimidating.

On his left was Yugi, the consort he'd chosen over their Princess—who, not moments ago, had stood against the entire crew with the fearless pride and certainty of a lioness in defense of one of her own. And to think that he had actually defended Otogi, the same man who had done nothing to hide his dislike of the boy from him or anyone else and who, not an hour ago, Yugi had treated his arm with strategies they thought only their Quartermaster adept in—and without so much as batting an eyelash or asking for anything in return. Wearing a silver-armored under-suit with a matching green mantle and boots, he looked like a younger version of the Trierarch. The only other splash of color was the gold and amethyst wedding bracelet woven around his wrist like a twist of blue water-lotus.

They walked the steps to the forecastle in unison—Timaeus first, followed by his Hands: Yugi on the left, Rhebekka on the right. The company followed their steps with quiet, curious eyes and bitten-back tongues. The three arrived on the dais and stood there, silent and powerful—Timaeus and Yugi at the front looking nearly identical in their silver armor, their neutral masks and their flaming black hair and circlet of gold and silver adorning their heads like regal crowns. Yet while Timaeus' sharp face was pulled into a curled, unreadable smile, Yugi's lips were pinched—his expression calculating and void. To the left, Rhebekka stood tall, beautiful, and invincible, radiating power though she wore no armor at all. Her sweet heart-shaped face belonged to a little girl, but the sharp, piercing emeralds were calculating and clever like that of a secret ruler—a controller without a name and the power behind the throne. Standing there fully-armored, decked in all their finery, and wearing identical neutral masks, they looked every inch the perfect, ruling trinity—a sight so rare that their next words would be nothing less than absolute law.

No one spoke. Their gazes focused obediently on the man at the head of the dais.

Then Timaeus boomed. "Gentlemen." His voice carried on the wind like a brass bell. His mismatched eyes were suddenly alive: the emerald, ferocious and shining bright as danger, the other the pearly void that commanded absolute authority. "Let you all be witness to this official announcement!"

They stood silently and waited for him to speak, then were surprised when he stepped back and the Quartermaster stepped forward.

"Gentlemen," Rhebekka announced, her voice boisterous and young compared to the brass echo of Timaeus' alto. "Let me first apologize for my frequent absences as of late." A long slender arm abandoned her side and gracefully adjusted its direction towards her heart, a gesture to herself. "As many of you have guessed, I have been slowly recovering from an illness that, until recently, I was unable to place." She spoke so openly that it did not sound like a weakness. She continued with a pixie-like laugh. "Oh, I chalked it up to many things: stress, too much work, anxiety over our dearly-beloved newlyweds…" Neither Timaeus nor Yugi flinched at the comment, but Yugi's hand slipped into Timaeus' and squeezed.

"I even thought it might be seasickness!" She laughed, loud and boisterous—like it was the punch-line of some rich jest. A few snickers came from below at the suggestion that something so simple could undo this bold, fearsome woman.

"Unfortunately, or perhaps quite fortunately, I was wrong on all accounts." She adjusted her stance, her eyes suddenly brightened, her lips curled, and there was something odd about the tightness of her dress. "I am with child."

The words lingered in the air, the echo of them swallowed by the silence that came from the sheer shock of it. Eyes expanded, mouths dropped or were covered, and others bowed their heads—red-faced or wide-eyed—as if they were suddenly reminded that the Quartermaster was a woman, a _married_ woman, married to the Trierarch's _First_.

"As such!" It was the Trierarch's voice that called, alerting all to his presence and snapping their attention back into focus.

Timaeus stepped forward next to Rhebekka and she made no move to step back. For a second, they looked like the ideal image of a Lord and his Lady, but then the truth settled and the idea looked distorted and unnatural in face of what they truly were: a Lord and his Right-Hand, a Commander and his Second-in-Command. Her power and ferocity were all her own, but she was an Officer with a rank and a purpose, and answered to the Trierarch no differently than any of the men beneath them.

"In regards to the Quartermaster's conditions, there has been much discussion, of which we have come to an agreement," Timaeus completed and shifted his bi-colored gaze to Rhebekka. The girl smiled. Neither step forward nor back.

"My condition has improved, but as many of you have seen, I am not as…" There was a deliberate pause. "Active in the field as I was once. Since I can no longer conduct my duties as effectively as is required of me, I have asked the Trierarch to formally relieve me of my active duties effective immediately."

There was a loud yet hushed gasp, followed by a string of loud protests, which were quickly silenced with the swipe of her arm.

"Fret not, men," she said with a comforting, ironically-maternal smile. "I am not retiring, nor do I plan to. I will still continue as your Quartermaster and the Trierarch's Second." Another pause. Another smile. "However, I can no longer actively serve as your Physician or your Cook." She let the information linger, then continued. "My condition comes with sickness. That is a fact. I can no longer see to the health and aid of you men if I myself am ill, regardless of its origin. Nor do I wish to neglect these duties because of it."

The men listened with stricken faces: some grieved, others concerned, some worried, and others wore simple defeat. More silence followed, yet the smiles did not leave either the Trierarch's or the Quartermaster's face.

"However…" Rhebekka continued with a sly smile. "I have no intention of abandoning you as such jobs are vital to the health and survival of this ship and her crew. Until my relief from duty has ended, I shall summon a replacement to see to my active tasks as a co-Quartermaster. My chosen will thus take over my roles as Physician and Cook until such a time when _The Eye_ has returned to port in Locri, and will assist me and the Trierarch with any and all tasks you may need of us until that time. Just so…" Her smile was bright and impish. "My chosen has already been selected: someone who's already proven themselves adept to the needed tasks, someone who continues to educate themselves daily on the workings and running of this ship, and who has been trained by none other than the Trierarch and I."

Brows arched high with surprise and scrunched in confusion. Murmurs were exchanged and others waited with anxious excitement to see who among them was picked or who was so skilled enough to be adequate for the task, if only for a short time.

Rhebekka and the Trierarch exchanged a special look. The eyes of the men returned to the dais just in time to watch them both step aside and reveal the chosen standing in the middle and stepping forward with the rising call of Rhebekka's introduction. "Our Trierarch's Consort and our new Magistrate Ujalah—Yugi."

Suddenly spotlighted, Yugi had only a second to collect himself before he stepped forward, his face a neutral mask that copied his husband's. The armor Timaeus had lent him for his shoulders suddenly felt heavy and immovable, but still, he kept walking—never flinching, never stopping, never looking anywhere but ahead of him until he reached the rail of the dais, gripped the wooden sides, and gazed down at the men who stared back at him with mismatched eyes ablazed in unfamiliar colors and emotions. He remembered the first time he'd addressed them like this: an angry child surrounded by a gangly forest of soldiers bizarrely colored and shaped, who stared at him like a foreign creature their Trierarch had brought home to spoil, and they met the decision with a mixture of hate, betrayal, and bitterness. Now, staring down at the sea of faces all wearing an identically-uncertain expression, he felt no fear or rage or the desperate need to back his pride or earn their approval.

He stood before them, a child no longer but a Consort of their Trierarch, a co-commander of their ship, and soon to be their co-Quartermaster.

"Soldiers of Timaeus," he spoke formally. "Much has changed since I last stood before you." He tried to sound strong, but only managed to sound humble. He felt a quick, tightening squeeze around his waist, comforting him for half a heartbeat before it disappeared, and he smiled.

"Indeed, much has changed since that first day. This journey has been long and difficult, and I know I had not made it any easier. Nor can I fault your for your fears at the thought of me becoming your Magistrate. I cannot hold that against you. But I am no longer the child I once was, nor are you the same men who wronged me. I have come to know many of you and many more have come to know me, and it is my hope that trust can continue to build. And it is also my hope that you one day feel for me the same loyalty and respect you show my husband." He paused for a moment to catch his breath and inhaled quietly. The expressions on the men's faces did not change, but he did not waiver.

"Until that day comes, I will continue to serve you as faithfully as I have these past ten-days, and I assure you all now…" His eyes hardened and his words rang with a gravity that rivaled that of the Trierarch's when he spoke. "So as long as you are under my authority and under my care, you are mine to protect; and so, I will not see you starve, I will not see you permanently marred, and I will not see you made any less the men you are just because the sea is a harsh mistress and the journeys are long and hard." He pressed a hand to his heart. "On my oath as a child of Sekhmet and a former Prince of Kemet, and on my oath now as the Consort of your Trierarch, your Dragon Knight, and as the Magistrate of Locri…" He tightened his grip and remembered the oath Timaeus had made all those months ago when it was his own honor that needed defending. " _We_ are _The Eye of Timaeus_. _We_ are the Dragon Warriors of Atlantis. _We_ are the pride of Locri. Remember your Honor, men, for without Honor, there is only villainy. And so, as long as you are under my care, _I will keep you strong!_ " he finished with a powerful breath and fought with all his strength not to deflate.

He felt a hand press into his back and he relaxed into the touch as Timaeus stepped to his side, neither in front of him nor behind him. He raised his arm and addressed them both. "Do you all speak as witnesses to this declaration? If so, speak now! For all to hear and know that it is done!"

They waited.

And waited still.

Down below, the men all exchanged looks, but none moved to be the first witness. Neither Timaeus nor Rhebekka moved their faces, twin masks void of emotion and expression, but Yugi felt his cracking.

"WITNESSED!"

The word boomed through the silence like a cry in a deep cave, and all spun to the source of it. The three faces on the dais rose in unison and gasped at the lone figure standing outside the doors of the infirmary, his arm still wrapped in a thick sling. Otogi slowly stepped forward, and when the men saw him, they expected to see outrage on the fact that he was not summoned to this meeting. But when they looked, he only smiled, and his bright green eyes were fixed on the dais—specifically, on Yugi's own amethyst gaze.

"Witnessed!" he said again.

"Witnessed!" Ryou's raspy call came next.

There was a short pause, then a gruff clearing of his throat before Raphael added, "Witnessed."

"Witnessed!" Someone else called from the back.

"Witnessed!" came another from the left. A copy echoed from the right. "Witnessed!"

"Witnessed! Witnessed! Witnessed! Witnessed!" More and more cheers followed until the whole ship was booming with the unorganized cacophonic repetition of the word. Then it harmonized into a single, perfect chant:

"Witnessed! Witnessed! Witnessed!"

As the shouts continued, more cheers of approval rang loud and clear as bells until the whole ship was alive and chanting its acceptance. Yugi's heart left his throat and settled to fluttering like a flock of ibis in his chest. At his side, Timaeus beamed proudly, eyes bright in a fond, silent encomium. Rhebekka smirked at his left, her head bowed ever so slightly in acknowledgment of her superior, but her smile was the bright bliss reserved for a dear friend.

Standing there amongst the dais with Timaeus at this side, Rhebekka to his left, and the crowd cheering their approval at his rank, on a magnificent ship sailing North against the alpenglow, Yugi fought tears prickling his eyes—like he had just inherited a kingdom of dreams and the future was a bright, clear path of possibilities.

But amidst the howling screams of chants and cheers, a single whisper of silence that Yugi did not miss secretly slipped back into hiding.

Nor did he miss the anger burning in its owner's slit lavender eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much fun to write! and I was so proud cause I got it done in a weekend (an afternoon at the library and finished it up in a pizza hut while eating a late lunch-i was THAT in the zone!)
> 
> I originally didn't plan on the end, and originally Otogi wasn't going to be in this chapter, but halfway through it I came up with the PERFECT cameo for him! XD How awesome was that? But it looks like Yugi's not out of the woods yet ;)
> 
> Anyone wanna guess who those lavender eyes belong too ;)
> 
> As always read, review, comment, critique, ask questions, post theories and go nuts!
> 
> NEXT UPDATE: April 4th to17th (I already have two chapters prewritten, one more to edit and then I hope to complete chapter 44. The goal is to get it posted by the 17th and then return to weekly updates.)
> 
> Next Time: Yugi settles into his new role as Quartermaster with mixed results; a slander goes too far and a fight breaks out and Timaeus has a few words for his new Quartermaster.
> 
> Enjoy!


	44. Strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi's first day as Quartermaster doesnt go as smoothly as he'd hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REWRITE!
> 
> Yeah...three months of haitus, I FINALLY post chapter 44 of Timaeus and then BOOM! Epiphany and i come back with an even more kick-ass chapter! Phew!
> 
> In the future I hope to avoid rewrites AFTER I post the chapters, but thus is the unexpected world of a writer (shurgs)
> 
> Anyway, i'm ULTRA proud of this chapter and how it turned out! i ended up splitting it so this is the first half and the second half (which i planned on finishing BEFORE posting this one, has been on hold due to work and my classes but goal is to finishing it this weekend, next week at the latest since i FINALLY have a break PHEW!!)
> 
> Things have also finally calmed down with work so hopefully I'll be able to write at a mroe steady and consistent pace.
> 
> DEDICATIONS: FOR VAL! Belated birthday gift ;) and whose advice helped me rewrite these chapters even better using all the scenes and events I wanted but in a way that really climaxed the story! YOU ROCK GIRL!
> 
> And of course for Aramithe Ipswich for being such an awesome Beta! THANK SO MUCH GIRL!
> 
> as always read, review, comment, critique, ask questions and go nuts!

Chapter XLIV: Strength

Timaeus pinched the bridge between his eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Yugi," he said with a bite of impatience. "We've had this discussion already and I'll not have it again. Now hurry and dress. We're already late." He gestured a gloved hand towards the neatly folded pile.

Yugi grimaced, his fingers brushing the flimsy, almost watery material of the silk. "I'll look like a helpless damsel in that," he protested, glaring at the clothes childishly. He was seated on the bed, naked. Bundled in his lap was Timaeus' first under-armor given to Yugi as a gift not two ten-days before. The shiny silver color was bleached gray from the sun, and not the day before had been stiff from salt-spray, stained in places, and reeked of sweat, salt, and the sweet perfume of Yugi's skin. The heat had fixed the dampness, and a night of soaking and vigorous scrubbing had tamed the worst of the stains.

Timaeus' green eye visibly twitched while its blank twin flashed an impatient glare. Closing his eyes and sighing again, the Trierarch inhaled sharply then ran a hand through his silver forelock with a loud exhale. "You'll look like a Magistrate." He protested, brushing his hand over the champagne silks Rhebekka had given Yugi his first night as Timaeus' consort.

He'd worn it sparingly since. The looseness of those flimsy silks, the way they moved independently over his skin like water, prickling against what was normally bare skin like the legs of insects: made him feel naked. Exposed. Oddly restricted. Timaeus had been overwhelmingly understanding about his hesitation, but never failed to remind him that such was the fashion of Locri—whose winds were fierce—and of a proper Magistrate.

"You won't impress anyone looking like a sea rat."

Yugi bit his lip with a frustrated growl. "Just…" he paused, eyes pleading. "Just one more day," Yugi compromised, rubbing his shoulder. "The men are still uncertain of me," he confessed. "I thought perhaps…" He paused, chewing on his lower lip.

"Dressing like a Trierarch would help." Timaeus smiled sympathetically. "Alright." He placed a comforting hand on Yugi's shoulder and sat next to him. "The silks will make you look more like a Magistrate, though."

"I suppose," Yugi snorted and got to the other side of the bed, stripping his small clothes and shift as he did. "But I want to look like a Quartermaster." He tied the lacings tight. "And I still don't want to wear it."

"I know." Timaeus crossed his arms, watching Yugi's nude form stand and slip the armor on, and licked his lips. Inch by inch, smooth honey-milk skin disappeared beneath the shield of faded silver, yet the tightness of it did nothing to conceal Yugi's lean limbs and soft curves. He watched him tie the lacings and then pull on his boots with a pair of cute, experimental kicks.

"Will you need me this morning?" Yugi asked.

Timaeus blinked as if coming out of a long daze. "Pardon?"

Yugi rolled his eyes then smirked, taking long strides towards him. "I said," he purred, curling himself flush against the other's body—his seductive amethyst eyes leering. "Will you need me this morning?"

The words ghosted over his lips and the elder trembled beneath Yugi's fingers. Then he snatched the scruff of Yugi's collar and pulled him up just enough to meet his eyes, like he was a naughty kitten.

"Clever little imp," Timaeus said with a passionate hiss and stole a quick kiss before setting Yugi down.

Yugi fixed him with a frazzled glare and wiped some imaginary dust from his uniform. "Well?"

"Not this morn," Timaeus answered. "I'll need new reports of our inventory to see how the repairs are faring, and check our coordinates, but they're nothing Malik and Ryou cannot tell me," he explained and started up the stairs to the stern. "You see to the food and the doctoring, and we'll converse tonight at dinner."

"Very well," Yugi agreed.

"Good," Timaeus smiled then jokingly sent him off with a brush to his lower back. "Now off you go, I fancy myself a spot of breakfast before a long day of working."

"You'll get nothing unless I serve it, you tease," Yugi snapped playfully over his shoulder. Then he spun and stole a quick kiss from the other's lips and was off before he could catch him. "I'll be in the galley!" He giggled when he heard the other utter an oath that ended in "imp" but made no move to chase him.

The deck was empty and the sky was still dark, but peaks of a new day sun bathed the clouds a mesh of dark pink, deep red, and bright violet. Quickly and quietly, he strolled down to the mess deck where the crew still slumbered and snored in their hammocks looking no more threatening than sleeping children. Yugi snorted, shook his head dismissively, and departed down the steps.

The ship's stores greeted him with a grin of well-organized scuttlebutts, racks of dried meats, baskets of onions, garlic, and potatoes, and a wall of jars stuff with dried Kemetic fruits and vegetables known to keep for long intervals. Giddily, Yugi slid down the ladder and counted, making tallies on papyrus as he went. His optimism drained once he finished.

"Half a dozen scuttlebutts of water," he triple-counted, "four baskets of potatoes, six of garlic, seven of onions, and less than twenty jars of dried goods." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. The empty baskets and clear glass jars mocked him from the corner. "That'll never be enough to ration between a crew of thirty men for a ten-day." He nearly collapsed in defeat but didn't have time to think of that now.

The sun was coming and the men would be rising soon. He'd be damned if they started bickering about their morning meal being late. Grabbing an empty basket, he stuffed it full with potatoes, onions, a few cloves of garlic, and a rack of dried beef for stew and rushed to the galley

Blessedly, the men still slept.

Fire burning in the stove, hands washed, and utensils clean, he set to work chopping onions and dividing beef. The spread was a simple mix of thick potatoes and plump onions chopped and stirred with a mixture of garlic and beef. The galley's stores hadn't depleted, at least. Drink would have to be ale for the time being.

Counting plates, he set aside four for Timaeus and himself, Otogi, and Rhebekka. A humble meal, he admitted, but one rich enough in nutrients that no one was likely to get sick or Sekhmet forbid, catch scurvy.

Gathering the spare plates, he slipped up the back stairs to the infirmary, stopping first in the Surgeon's quarters where Rhebekka slept naked under a blanket of furs. She muttered and snored, rolling like a drunkard and muttering curses when her growing stomach got in the way of her movements. Yugi blushed and tried not to chuckle, and set her plate on the table next to a mug of water and a small plate of dates. Low rations or not, Rhebekka had a babe to feed.

A groan erupted from the adjacent room. He spun back to the front. Otogi twitched his recovering arm barely in the hammock, giving it a few experimental waves and circles.

"Stop that!" Yugi snapped and set the food down. "Do you want to tear the ligaments?"

Otogi snorted, grumbling. "It's not tender anymore. When can I use it again?" he demanded.

"Not fully for a whole ten-day," Yugi said firmly. "And when you do use it again, go slowly at first or you're likely to dislocate it again."

"Aye," Otogi relented, and moved into a sitting position to eat. The man had grown increasingly lax as the days had come, which Yugi did not blame him.

""Tis only been a day." Yugi pulled up a stool and offered a comforting smile. "You won't get better overnight, but if you rest and let your wounds heal, you'll be fine in a day or two," he promised with a soft chuckle. "But I'm afraid you won't be seeing active duty for at least a ten-day and by then, we'll be back in Atlantis."

"That is what worries me," Otogi admitted, taking a large bite of potato and beef. "It's the idleness that I detest," he scoffed, and rubbed his wounded arm just under the joint and crushed the sheets beneath his fingers. "I know the Trierarch does not think any less of me, but I can't stand just sitting here, doing nothing, contributing nothing, feeling—" He suddenly paused, realizing he was not alone. He looked away from Yugi's solemn expression, with one of self-disappointment. "Forgive me," he apologized. "'Tis not something you discuss in the presence of the Trierarch's consort."

"You feel helpless, do you not?" Yugi finished. Otogi turned to him, surprised, but Yugi only smiled sadly. "You feel helpless and trapped and unable to do anything but stay still like a bird with a broken wing."

Otogi's eyes widened in shock.

The lashes of Yugi's eyes swept across his cheek and he smiled softly. "I understand completely. I felt that way for some time before the Trierarch rescued me."

"Aye…" It was all Otogi could say. He winced when he put pressure on his arm and pressed a hand towards the joint. Yugi shot up and checked the wound. "'Tis alright." Otogi insisted. "It's just the joint. It still aches sometimes."

Yugi's eyes lit up. "I know just the remedy." He darted across the room to a large cabinet where Rhebekka kept her bandages and supplies, and pulled down a large basket filled with multicolored liquids. The bottles clanked with a chiming sound as he fished through them. Then with cry of victory, he pulled out a small jar filled with a russet liquid and uncorked it on his way back to his patient, and carefully dumped the liquid on his fingers. Otogi hissed when the fingers pressed against his skin, then moaned when the soothing ache started to dissipate.

Yugi recorked the bottle and set it down on the table. "Just a dab on the fingers and rub it over the ache if it bothers you again." Yugi smiled.

"Thank you." Otogi smiled back gratefully and sighed. "I promise to rest easy. I may detest being idle, but I trust your judgment. I can survive a day or two."

Yugi blinked then beamed brightly. "I'm pleased." A loud groan and a chorus of rumbles started from downstairs. Yugi sighed understandingly and hopped off his stool. "Finish breaking your fast," he ordered gently. "I'll see to rest of the swarm."

Otogi watched him depart with a friendly wave, which Yugi was grateful for.

The men piled in to the galley not long after, raising their mugs and grabbing bowls in gestures of thanks as they did. Ryou had even been kind enough to flash him a smile before departing. No doubt the Sailing Master would be breaking his fast in the Navigation room with the Trierarch, Yugi guessed. Raphael and others simply took their food and departed in a solemn silence that was, at best, tolerance. A handful of others, lilac-eyed Malik being the chief rebel-rouser, flashed him hard, disapproving glares before leaving with a shake of the head. Yugi only frowned, saying nothing.

He ate his own meal in silence, stealing only a few quick glances at the door. Only when he was certain Timaeus wasn't coming did he set the meal aside to deliver later, and finished his own meal from the kitchen. The galley was a cacophony of chatter and cheers, groans and grunts and rough rasps and scratchy coughs. Yugi looked up, one solider in the corner, red-haired and taller but younger than the rest, spoke only a few words to his companions before grunting. His cough was scratchy and he settled it with a swig of ale. Yugi recognized him as one of the riggers during the storm. He'd had that cough for a few days and though the cough had seceded, the soreness of his throat clearly hadn't.

Thinking quickly, Yugi bolted to the infirmary. Ignoring Otogi's bemused expression, he grabbed the basket of vials still sitting on the counter and started for the stairs. Rummaging through it on the way back down, he pulled it out with a victorious, "There you are!" Composing himself, he hurried to the red-haired soldier and offered a vial of clear liquid that smelt of vinegar and garlic.

The two men stopped talking and they stared at him with curious confusion.

"For your throat," Yugi clarified. "Take one gulp now, and one with dinner if it still bothers you," he instructed kindly.

The red-haired solider blinked at the vial then at Yugi. Confusion etched across his features, but he took it with a gracious smile and tucked it into his belt. Yugi frowned but, satisfied, turned back to the kitchen. Other men stared at him briefly before returning to their meals. Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi noticed another man rubbing his temples fiercely, growling through gritted teeth. Yugi shifted through his basket again and pulled out a small jar of clear paste and placed in front of him with instructions to apply it. "Do not ingest it," Yugi warned firmly. The man shrugged but took the bottle anyway.

He passed several other men who subtly expressed some sort of ache and offered what remedies he could. Some simply smiled and accepted the offer graciously. Others did not seem to care. Some had the nerve to snap at him, but Yugi chose to ignore that. When they finished, the men piled quickly from the halls, leaving their plates and dishes behind. Out of pride, Yugi waited until they were gone before gathering them up quickly and letting them soak in the kitchen's tub.

He had better things to do than wash dishes.

He plopped onto a stool and rubbed his temple. Doubt crept over him like the shadow of a fierce storm. Clearly the previous night's display hadn't been the promising sign he'd misread it as.

"No," he corrected himself with hard, determined eyes. Something had changed. It had not been obvious or quick, but it was there. There was now a steady acceptance accompanied by a begrudging, if earnest, respect where before, there had only been icy hostility. It wasn't much, but it was a change and Yugi found it pleasant nonetheless.

The men's trust in him was growing—that fact above all the others filled Yugi with pride. He suspected his new role as Physician and Chef had something to do with that. Working with Timaeus as a Trierarch and Rhebekka as Cook and Surgeon had given him a role, a purpose where before he had simply been the Trierarch's consort. Repairing the ship, assisting with navigations, and those small moments with when he treated the wounded and prepared tonics had given the men proof of his usefulness and it felt wonderful to have a place one more. Not simply a title and position but an actual duty to keep himself busy. It was a liberating freedom, one that made him feel solid and useful once more.

They men trusted him, but did they respect him? Once the excitement died away and the job began, it was clear the men had not expected anything from him. True, he had proven himself, but he'd had done so with Timaeus or Rhebekka. Now he was on his own. It was Timaeus who was their Trierarch and Rhebekka who was their Quartermaster. Yugi was a stranger—a third party they respected simply because they were told to.

Rhebekka considered him friend as well as an ally. Ryou and Otogi, and others accepted him openly but even they, he feared, saw him as a comrade rather than a commander or a brother-in-arms. When they addressed him it was all smiles and pleasantries and when they spoke it was with a familiarity they never showed in Timaeus' presence.

Others met him with a cool acceptance, having yet to witness his strength and abilities on their own. Though he doubted his sudden "replacement" of their Quartermaster once news of her condition became public helped soothe those fears. Most, he gathered, trusted him only because the Trierarch did though. Raphael was one such soldier. The rest, like Malik, had no illusions, despised him nor were they subtle about it—spoiled and stubborn who trapped their Trierarch with his charms. But they had changed, Yugi reminded himself. Their opinions of him had, and he'd done nothing more than whatever he could.

And he would do that now. He stood, reinvigorated. With determination in his step, he plucked some herbs that had been drying, and a few vegetables and liquids for a base, and placed them all in his basket reserved for tonics and ointments to brew later. He grabbed the list of rations he'd created and started for the main deck, but not before grabbing the untouched plate he'd made for Timaeus.

X X X

Yugi all but barged into the Navigation room and found Timaeus and Ryou embezzled in a heated discussion, and all but slammed the plate down with hard, demanding eyes. The glare Timaeus gave him would've sent any other man into a fit of apologies: Yugi simply matched it

"Little one, what business is this?" There was a hidden bite in the question.

"You made me Quartermaster," Yugi reminded. "My duty to ensure everyone on this ship stays well-fed. I'll be damned if I have my own husband starving himself."

Their brows narrowed and eyes locked and slit into glares of determination. Ryou stood silent in the background. Then Yugi pulled the papyrus from his belt and handed it to Timaeus.

"What is this?" he asked, curious though his glare had not faltered.

"I tallied our rations," Yugi explained, curtly. "I haven't had a chance to go through all of them."

"Unless another storm takes us off-course," Timaeus countered, scrutinizing the information then raising an impressed eyebrow. "You're certain of these estimates?"

Yugi nodded. "I haven't surveyed everything, but that's what I've rationed so far."

Yugi thought he saw the shadow of a smile grace Timaeus' face, but too quickly it was gone and he turned his gaze towards Ryou. The Sailing Master jumped to attention. "We shall reconvene in one hour."

"Understood." Ryou dismissed himself with a bow and left the two men alone.

Timaeus looked at Yugi. His eyes had not changed, but now he was grinning. "Little gem," he purred, dangerously low and seductive. Yugi fought down the urge to flinch. "Never, for as long as we are married, undermine me in public again."

Yugi blinked. "Public? It was only Ryou. And he's terrified of you, if you have not yet noticed."

Timaeus snorted, rose, and slid to sit on the table. "He respects me, as do they all, but I will not repeat myself. I am the Trierarch, little gem. My authority must be absolute. Scold me, hit me, do whatever you wish in private, but when we are here, we must be a united front."

Yugi frowned. "And a united front means I'm supposed to agree with you and not call you out on your foolishness?"

Timaeus laughed. "Quite the opposite," he corrected. "In fact, I know many women—the Queen of Atlantis, in fact—who were rather fierce with their husbands. Powerful women respected, even feared, but she never once questioned the King in public. Private, however, was a different matter. Are your own brother and sister not the same?"

Yugi paused for a moment, pondering. When he did not answer, Timaeus continued. "It does not do well for the people or the army to have their leaders, their commanders, arguing, regardless of how nonsensical the situation is. Do you understand?"

Yugi sighed. "I understand." And he meant it. But then his eyes opened, and with a determined stare, he pushed the plate forward. "But if it means making sure you take care of yourself, I reserve the right to say so."

Timaeus snorted. "You're always were a fearsome thing," he commented. Yugi grinned when he picked up his spoon and started eating.

"I am pleased." Yugi bowed respectfully and turned to go. He stopped when Timaeus grimaced.

"Yugi…" Timaeus called with a disgusted cough.

"Yes?" Yugi asked, still grinning.

"This is cold," Timaeus complained.

"Then next time, you'd best eat it when it's hot." He smiled sweetly. "And it better be finished when I come back for your plate in an hour," he warned, honeyed and playfully sweet.

"Imp," Timaeus snorted. Quick as a viper, he grabbed Yugi's hand and spun him to face him and grabbed his chin. Yugi gasped in shock, but his body was singing. Timaeus grinned at him, leering. "I mean it, Yugi. Undermine me again, and I will be forced to punish you." He let the word linger and sealed it with a fierce kiss to Yugi's lips.

Yugi panted when he pulled away and wiped his mouth, glaring. "I understand," Yugi growled with a smirk of his own. "You do realize that was your second kiss?" he teased threateningly. "You won't get any more for the rest of the day."

"I will survive," Timaeus teased back, returning to his meal. Yugi rolled his eyes and left. Over his shoulder, he heard a satisfied murmur of "Hmm… garlic…" and smirked.

X X X

Ryou stood outside the navigation room with curious eyes fixated on the basket Yugi had left there. He jumped when he heard the door open, and sighed when Yugi stepped out.

"I have never met another person brave enough to talk to him like that," he confessed, awed and a little frightened. "Not even the Quartermaster."

"Aye," Yugi admitted with a slight shiver. His wrist still tingled where Timaeus had touched him and his lips still burned from the fierceness of his kiss. "We seem to have that effect on the other."

"Indeed," Ryou nodded, breathless. "Is he… eating?" he asked, attempting to sound casual.

"He is." Yugi nodded. "How long till we reach Locri?"

"'Tis what we were… discussing," Ryou confessed. "We agree it should be no more than a ten-day, but our supplies are low and much is spoiling. We're not sure if we should continue straight and restock in the South, or travel to a port closer but out of the way."

Yugi grimaced. "Are those truly our only options?"

"Depends on our storage." Ryou closed his eyes. "If we can ration enough food for a few extra days, then we can continue on straight." When he opened them again, they were dull with worry.

Yugi opened his mouth to speak. "I…" he started, paused, then smiled. "I'm sure all will be well," he said reassuringly, and departed down the steps.

X X X

He spent the rest of the day on deck. Watching the men work the riggers and ready the sails—the oars not needed on such a blustery day. He made quick work of seeing to the affairs of the ship—and was dismayed when he found there were none. At least none the men were telling. One younger and more bashful than the rest had kindly asked him if the Quartermaster was about and looked horribly embarrassed when Yugi told him she slept still. Smiling, Yugi offered his own assistance but the lad simply bowed his head and shook it off as unimportant. That had been most of the morning, though the others who asked for his co-Quartermaster were not nearly so polite.

The evening had not gone much better. By then, Rhebekka was awake and about, and the men flocked for her attention, but she dismissed them all with a wave of her hand and a snap of her tongue before disappearing into the Navigation room.

Yugi pressed his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes, exasperated. He'd never felt so useless. Even his old habit of brewing tonics had done little to ease his frustrations. His gaze fell to the men below. It was too hot for formal armor, so with flushed faces and the sweat of labor clinging to their skin, they worked bare-backed in the hot sun. The red tinged of sun baked their naked skin, hissing when their labor pulled at the rash. Yugi recognized that dark flush and fished through his bag for a large clay jar. Securing it tightly, he rushed down the steps and into the throng.

He tried to find his voice, but it was lost on the winds. Finally, he spun to the throng, held the jar high, and shouted, "For the burns!" The crowd stopped, and several red-faced men turned to him. This time, he did not falter.

"Your skins are burnt," he said to one in particular and opened the clay lid of the jar. "I have an ointment that will help." He was about to explain its contents when he heard a cold snap.

"Mind your business elsewhere." Yugi spun and saw Raphael at the rafters. His own fair skin was deeply flushed as well, but he showed no discomfort. Yugi's eyes hardened. Though his words were not unkind, the tone was meant for that of a curious child wandering too close to danger, not of a Quartermaster. Yugi would change that now.

"Your concern is well meant, Watchman," Yugi said evenly. "But not needed. If you do not wish my help then I will respect your request and not offer it." His lashes brushed the surface of his cheeks and he spoke again. "But you do not speak for all, and if there are any men who would like to take advantage of my arts, it is their choice. You may be strong from a life at sea, but you know little of the fierce intensity of the sun as I do," Yugi reminded them all, and placed the jar on a nearby crate.

One of the younger men sporting a particularly red looking arm eyed the jar curiously. Like a duck wading the water but not wanting to appear hesitant. Yugi understood and scooped a small amount of clear gelatin onto his fingers and held it out to the man for his arm. He offered his arm hesitantly and Yugi rubbed it over the burn.

"'Tis only aloe," he smiled. "Apply to the skin and do not ingest it and all will be well."

He turned to the other men all who eyes him curiously.

Yugi's smile did not waiver. "You are all welcome to use it if you wish. Apply a little with your fingers and let it sit. It will help with the pain."

A sharp bit of laugher barked through the crowd. "Is this how you seduce your men?"

The cold, razor sharpness of the words cut through the air like dagger piercing Yugi's back through to his very soul. A collective string of mumbled gasps and whispers followed in the space of a breath and Yugi stopped.

Recognizing the voice in an instant, Yugi turned and fixated his hard, even eyes and the thin line of his mouth towards Malik standing in the shrouds with an obvious swagger. A smile slit his face. The shipwright's own ocher skin, contrasting sharply with the shock wheat-color of his hair, and corded muscles from a lifetime of carpentry at sea gave him intimidating aura to counter his meager height but his gleaming eyes were cruel like two sharp blades.

Yugi lost all breath in his body, "What?" he demanded, voice sharp and even.

Disliking the response, Malik jumped down and stomped towards him. All the swagger on his face gone and replaced with a rage of absolute disgust. "Don't pretend you care for any of us!" he snapped in a long drawn-out hiss. "I truly believed the Trierarch wed you for peace. I'd say it was for a pair of slim hips and pretty breasts." His face shook in disappointment. "The King liked you. Ryou liked you. Even Otogi vouched for you…" His smile returned: a malicious, knowing grin. "Now I see the truth. Do you treat him with your pretty little tonics?" His words were laced with derision and disappointment. "To think. The Great Trierarch of The Eye, The Magistrate of Locri, the Leader of the King's Dragon Knights, fell for a whore from Kemet with pretty eyes."

Yugi's bones liquefied into fire and hand and back shook as pure rage filled him. His blood, and his fingers curled into fists piercing his own skin. The rest of the crew was silent, waiting, watching. Searching for any kind of weakness.

Malik snorted at Yugi's silent fury. He closed his eyes with an arrogant shake of the head "Don't even try and deny it, we all hear the sounds you make at night. The worst part is you don't even want h—"

The blow came so swift and sudden that Malik was sent sprawling to the floor. He blinked once and nursed his wounded cheek where he'd been struck, and spun a mixture of fury and shock on his face. Above him, Yugi stood, his clenched fist at his side. All around them the crew stood stunned and silent.

"Recant your words." Yugi demanded, his voice low and dangerously calm.

Malik's fury gave way to confusion and he blinked. "What?"

"I said recant your words!" Yugi snapped taking a step forward. The pride in his arch made him look taller and the sun blazing behind him gave him a royal elegance that commanded authority.

"I care not what you think of me, but your words insult your Trierarch, my husband." Yugi emphasized the words, harshly. "You question his judgement and his decisions by questioning his choice to marry me. Regardless of how it transpired, he is mine and I'm his. I am his Consort, his Magistrate. You question my loyalty and faithfulness to that rank. You insinuated I had no right to be there. You insult him as your Trierarch, and I as his chosen Quartermaster. I care not for your opinions of me, but I will not let your insults against him go unpunished!"

He spoke with such volume and authority that for a long moment no one spoke. Not even the wind dared to stir and interrupt his rage. Even Malik, with all his bravado, remained firmly rooted in his place on the ground, staring at the younger with a kind of submissive fear he only afforded the Trierarch.

"Stop!" The harsh commanding bass accompanied the heavy click of metal boats creaking across the blanks. Yugi growled in muffled rage and spun to whoever dared to interrupt his judgement, hands flexed. Timaeus caught his wrist before he could flinch. His eyes hard and the line of his lips harsh an unyielding. The redness behind Yugi's vision vanished in an instant as the cold exterior of the Trierarch replaced the warm eyes and playful smile of the man he was coming to fancy.

"That's enough," Timaeus commanded, cold and clear. The dismissal hurt more than the actual words and Yugi suddenly found he couldn't speak.

"I-I" he felt he should apologize somehow, but he didn't want to. Malik had questioned his right to be at Timaeus' side, and worse he had insulted Timaeus himself, though Yugi guessed Timaeus did not know the full extent of those insults. How could he bring himself to apologize for what he felt was justified?

Timaeus fixated him with cold, emotionless eyes and Yugi's face dropped to his feet, dejected. No, he resolved himself, through a clench fist and closed eyes. He would not lose Timaeus over this. Not when their partnership has only just begun to heal.

Timaeus released his wrist but Yugi made no move to follow.

"So many warnings," Timaeus stomped forward, his voice shadowed and free of humor. "Did I or did I not, make myself perfectly clear about the subject of brawling onboard my ship?"

His eyes fixated on Malik still on the floor. He dropped his face to the floor but not before Yugi caught the glimpse of a terrified boy over his shoulder. "Was I not clear, perfectly clear, of what would happen?" Timaeus demanded with barely concealed rage.

"Was I?" He shouted, and it came down with the force of an executioner's blow.

A wave of guilt overcame Yugi suddenly. The deadly promise Timaeus had made all those months ago, still fresh in their minds. The punishment for a second offence if caught brawling: Confinement to the brigs. Yugi remembered them well, the ones Menk and Maat stayed in the three-day journey it took up the Nile to Djanet. Angry as he was at them then he still did not like seeing them there. Angry as he was at Malik now, he couldn't stand the thought of him spending the rest of the voyage there. Not with Locri still ten days away. He'd learned his lesson, Yugi decided looking at him now. Insults or not, they didn't warrant confinement.

"Wait," Yugi interrupted, firmly. Timaeus spun to him with a raised eyebrow. Yugi didn't dare meet his eyes. "I struck first." He confessed.

Malik's head shot up. The deck was silent.

Timaeus' brow arched higher. "Did you now?" he asked suspiciously. "That is not like you, Ujalah," Timaeus said, absent and affection or terms of endearment. "I find it highly unlikely you would act out for no reason?"

There was a visible flinch in Malik's face, but Yugi kept still.

Lifting his face, eyes closed and voice level, he said. "Whatever reasons I may have had do not matter. It was I who struck first, and even if I did not it was a first offence. On both our parts."

Timaeus' face did not change. "Are you certain of that? A first offence on both parts?"

Yugi nodded, only then did he rise to face his husband. "Yes. He was not one of the few who attacked me. Nor did he strike me this time. There is no need for further penance."

"A warning then," Timaeus nodded after a moment "Very well."

Yugi nodded and departed for the galley. Before he did, he gathered the aloe and placed the clay pot on a nearby plank. "For the burns," he explained again. "Spread a little on the red skin. Let it absorb. Do not ingest it."

With the final warning, he turned away and descended down the steps.

X X X

Timaeus watched Yugi go, and with a titanic effort, resisted the urge to kiss him as he left. Watching Yugi fight not only with a display of strength but also spirit, defending his right to be at Timaeus' side. Nothing had made Timaeus more proud. He doubted even the most skeptical of his men would question Yugi's loyalties after this. Still, there was a time and place for rewards and the deck was not one of them.

He needed time to get Yugi alone, to reward him properly, and ensure his confidence only grew from this whole ordeal. It ached him to keep his cold exterior, but he even now as he watched his young lover depart, he could sense the men's eyes on him, looking for weaknesses. That would be addressed now.

"Trierarch?" Malik rose, his movements clumsy, as the crowd gathered around him.

Timaeus spun delivered a swift, heavy blow straight to the boy's gut, knocking him over and stealing the breath from his body. "Do you take me for a fool," he hissed just low enough for Malik to hear. "Or are you truly this stupid?" Malik's answer was a string of chocking gasps. Timaeus rolled his eyes in disgust. "You're fortunate of my Consort and Quartermaster's kindness," he snapped. "I would not have been so merciful."

Her stormed away, and spun to face his crew. "Gentlemen," he said, eyes shadowed and voice dangerously low. "When I told you all to behave yourselves…" He raised his chin revealing a dangerously pleasant smirk and eye bright with disapproving fury. "What. Made you think I was joking?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOHOO! I'm so proud of Yugi this chapter...it really shows just how much he's grown and matured. He's come along way since day one, but don't worry its not over yet ;)
> 
> Next Update: July 15th (the goal)
> 
> NEXT TIME: Yugi and Rhebekka encounter a problem, Yugi has a brilliant idea, Malik shows some humility and Timaeus makes good on his promise.
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions and go nuts!


	45. Purpose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi and Rhebekka encounter a problem, Yugi has a brilliant idea, Malik shows some humility and Timaeus makes good on his promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REWRITE! PART 2
> 
> HOT DAMN! THAT TOOK LONGER THAN I THOUGHT! PHEW! Hardest part with this chap was actually all next chapter-I had this one scene to edit and fix and it was hell trying to find the right words! which really stunk cause i had like 90% of this chapter done but for that part. Holy smoke!
> 
> Hardest part was just finding time to sit down and do it! But its DONE! (Angel choir) I'm so proud and happy with these rewrites!
> 
> And as a special treat because everyone has been so patient with me over the last six months and this new chap took two months to post...I POSTED TWO CHAPTERS! WOOHOO!
> 
> DEDICATIONS: FOR VAL! Whose advice helped me rewrite these chapters even better using all the scenes and events I wanted but in a way that really climaxed the story! YOU ROCK GIRL!
> 
> I also wanna give a very special thanks to all my A03 friends and followers for being so patient, especially since i haven't kept up with this site as well as i should've but thank you all for your wonderful comments, kudos, and mature feedback :) its so inspiring!
> 
> Now picking up right where we left off...as always read, review, comment, crituque, ask questions and go nuts!

_Chapter ILV: Purpose_

Yugi descended the steps down to the gallery. The silence was a welcome relief from the vociferous ruckus above deck.

"Bells of Hades!" He jumped at the stentorian shrill, and nearly stumbled down the last step.

There was a gasp of surprise and Rhebekka shot up, dropping the black-rimmed cabbage shed been holding. The head dropped to the floor with a loud thud and joined several others, discarded for their blackening leaves.

"Thank the stars," Rhebekka uttered a breath of relief and pressed a hand to her chest, the galley deserted but for the two of them. "I swear, the next daft idiot that came to me for something trivial..." her fingers clenched like a cat unsheathing its claws. "There's two of us now, it shouldn't be this much of a hassle."

Yugi smiled despite himself, pleased that pregnancy had not weakened her temper.

"What's all this now?" He asked with a gesture to the cabbage-leaf littered floor.

A smile slit her juvenescent face and she pointed a proud hand to her chest. "I am determined to be active!" Rhebekka boasted proudly. "An idle mother makes the babe fat and lazy, you know? It's the mother who determines how the babe comes into the world. Men know nothing of it. Once he's planted the seed his duty's done in that part."

Yugi couldn't help but giggle.

"If that's the case, then what is his duty?" Yugi asked.

Rhebekka smirked, teasingly "To please the mother, of course!"

They both laughed, heartily. It amazed him how good it felt. Like a stone ball resting on his chest that had suddenly been removed and it was alright to breathe and sing again.

"Now what's brought you down here? Is it supper already!?" She'd meant nothing by the question and he knew it, but it dragged him out of the stupor nonetheless and the reality that followed was a devastating crash.

She frowned when she saw Yugi's guilty expression. "What's this now?" She asked suddenly serious. In her eyes was a maternal sternness, he'd seen many times before and had no hope of fighting.

He told her everything. He hadn't meant to, but once he began, Yugi found he couldn't stop. All his fears, his doubts, all his earlier insecurities, and worst of all, the all-consuming dread that he'd disappointed Timaeus, came flooding back until he could stand it no longer. When he was done, he all but collapsed from the release of anxiety. Rhebekka helped him to a stool, saying nothing but listened to everything.

"Not the ideal first day, I imagine?" she said, pouring two mugs of ale.

Yugi's first sip was a large gulp, hoping to settle his nerves.

It didn't.

"What am I going to do, Rhebekka? How can I be Timaeus' Magistrate if I can't even control these men?"

"You can start by ceasing this useless blubbering," she said bluntly. She ignored his bewildered gasp, and took a long swig from her own mug and wiped her mouth clean with her wrist. "What, you're surprised? You think I could command these men when I first started this ship? Me? A mere slip of a girl who most saw as a younger sister and at worst, a daughter? It was months before I convinced them I was stronger than most and I only had the Trierarch's support. You have a lot more than I ever did."

Yugi's lashes swept across his cheeks then rose, revealing perplexed eyes. "Like what?"

"More patience, for starters." Yugi almost choked at the response. "I mean it, Yugi. Do not go doubting yourself now! Show weakness and they will never think more of you, but show them that you are above them and they will respect you." A smile slit her face.

"And show them strength and you will have their loyalty forever." She paused, deliberate and purposeful. "And you are strong, Yugi."

Her words lingered reassuringly through the silence like victorious soldiers after an impossible battle. "Thank you, Rhebekka." Yugi smiled.

She grinned. "Think nothing of it." She grabbed his wrists and spun him like an excited little girl with a new playmate. "Now come, supper's not going to cook itself!"

She moved like a sprite, darting from cabinet to cabinet and spinning to the center stove. Her feet barely touched the ground as she danced around the galley's circular structure, her face growing less bright and etched in harder and harder frowns as she did so. She checked the last cabinet, then turned to Yugi. "Where are our rations?" she demanded, cool and business-like.

"We have enough food for a ten-day," Yugi answered. "And water, if we ration it well. I've checked the food stores, and we should be fine, but should another storm happen..." He didn't want to finish the sentence.

"Then we are lost," Rhebekka finished for him and uttered an oath under her breath. "Bells of Hades!" she snapped, and spun to the large basket she'd be nice sorting through and kicked it. The weak weaves toppled under her strength. "Keeps for weeks', my ass!"

Yugi cocked his head curiously.

"Didn't even last a month!"

Yugi's eyes widened when she kicked the basket again spilling heads of black-leafed cabbages rolling to the ground.

"Rhebekka, stop!" Yugi scooped a rolling head under his arm and grabbed her wrist, halting her temper. "Did you check the centers?"

Feet frozen in mid-kick and her back arched with a tantrum, Rhebekka blinked. "Center? Why would I? They're all rotten. Can't you see?" She pointed to the black leaves.

Hope caused Yugi's eyes to brighten. He released her and started peeling. "No, Rhebekka, look!" He peeled away layer after layer of black leaves, but when he was finished, only a handful of leaves had decayed and the inner layers and heart were a rich, healthy green.

Rhebekka gaped wide eyed like a caught fish.

"It's a delicate vegetable in Kemet but it lasts long if prepared correctly," he explained. "My ancestor called it shaw't." Another thought occurred to him and he began to feel excited. "Rhebekka, when the rations were done, were the cabbages included in the count?"

Rhebekka shook her head, saying nothing, eyes still fixated on the plump cabbage still ripe in his hands.

Yugi's face beamed. "I have an idea." He turned and fished the huge clay pot from the stores and set it over the cooking fire, filled it with a bucket of water, then ran for the steps. He stopped to order, "Peel all the cabbages and fit as many as you can until the pot's filled! Make sure you count the heads!"

Rhebekka blinked then smiled, recognizing the twinkle of an idea in his gemstone eyes. "What are you thinking, my friend?"

"I'm thinking," Yugi smirked, "we're going to make boiled cabbage and garlic for dinner." He poked his head through the canvas and pointed to the first two men who crossed his path. "You there!" he called. They stopped and blinked at him. "Go to the stores, gather all the cabbages you can find, and bring them to the galley. All of them," he emphasized. "Whether they look rotten or not. I want them all in the galley now!"

They stared at him.

"Did I stutter, men? Go!"

With that, they were off and Yugi returned. Rhebekka presented him with three proud cabbages and only a small pile of black leaves. She tossed Yugi another cabbage and they sorted through the rest. When they were done, only a handful of leaves were spoiled and a dozen or so cabbages remained. The men Yugi summoned struggled with two more large baskets, and the two Quartermasters set upon them with purpose. When all the heads were clean, Rhebekka chucked the dead leaves overboard and Yugi set to work chopping cabbages, dicing garlic cloves, and filling the pot with boiling leaves.

"How many is that?" Rhebekka asked, depositing armfuls of heads into the stores.

"Five," Yugi answered with a smirk. "Maybe six if we use the smaller ones. How many are left?" he asked, still smirking.

Rhebekka beamed. "Not including the ones you used, thirty—maybe more."

"So then," Yugi calculated playfully. "If we have thirty cabbages, and five, maybe six, are needed to serve a crew of thirty men a rich meal twice—maybe once a day if need be—then…"

"We have enough food for nearly three days alone!" She all but burst with excitement. The flush of motherhood reddening her cheeks made her happiness sparkle even more. "I'll tell the Trierarch!" She burst up the stairs and Yugi set to work filling bowls and setting aside plates. The sun was already fading when he finished, and the thunder of heavy boots echoed overhead.

The men piled into the mess, reluctance plastered on their faces when they grabbed their plates and eyed the green mash. Yugi frowned, watching them poke, prattle, examine, judge, but not eat. Brows arched in his direction, demanding an explanation. One outspoken soldier even had to nerve to ask what it was.

Damn, he hissed through his teeth. The plan was useless if the men were stupid enough to refuse it. Yugi raised his head and smiled. "It is cabbage," he answered with a delightful smile. "Cabbage spiced with garlic, a delicacy from my native home. I thought I'd prepare it for you fine gentlemen as a gesture of goodwill, but if you do not want it…" He swooped from behind the counter, grabbing plates as he went and ignoring the growls and glares and demands. "I'm sure the Trierarch, Quartermaster, and I will enjoy it. Fool I am for thinking commoners could appreciate such a delicate vegetable." He smirked and saw their disgruntled and ungrateful stares harden to envy and avarice, wanting, coveting, and demanding what was too good for them.

"Yugi!" He spun and nearly dropped the plates. Timaeus charged down the steps in hurried haste, the Trierarch once more. His words were heavy and his swagger commanding, but his eyes were bright and only Yugi noticed the smile in his step. Timaeus grabbed the table with a crashing hand and just like that, an idea formed in Yugi's hand, and he grabbed a plate and a spoon.

"Rhebekka tells me you've solved our ration prob—" he started in a low whisper and was promptly cut off when Yugi stuffed a spoonful of boiled cabbage into his mouth. His eyes bulged in shock and his nose scrunched at the taste, but Yugi squeezed his hand painfully tight and flashed a warning smile. "We must be a united front," he hissed just low enough for the Trierarch to hear. "Trust me."

Timaeus swallowed nervously, recognizing a familiar taste. "Is that garlic?" he asked.

"Yes!" Yugi beamed brightly and clapped with glee. Timaeus recognized the mask. "I made it just for you," he boasted proudly. "Remember? I told you what a delicacy it was, and you asked me to make some?" There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and Timaeus understood.

"I did," he agreed with a nod and a grin.

Then Yugi pouted. "Well, I thought to share it with the rest of our crew as a gesture of goodwill, but they decided they don't want it," he scoffed and started pouring it back in the pot, smirking as the men grimaced.

Timaeus understood at once and scanned the entire room, fixating each man with a hard, disapproving glare. Then he turned to his lover and smiled. "Now, love, I'm sure they did not mean to be so disrespectful," he cooed. "Perhaps you should forgive them."

Yugi pretended to ponder the thought then said simply, "I suppose…" and began serving once again.

The men ate without question, leaving the Trierarch and his two Quartermasters alone at the table: their eyes fixated on food and their thoughts devoted to eating.

Yugi sighed in relief and let go of Timaeus' hand. He bowed his head, frowning. "I'm sor—"

Timaeus silenced the apology with a kiss. Yugi's eyes does open in shock and he froze unsure how to respond. Then Timaeus was smiling at him: eyes beaming with prepossessing pride. "That," he paused like he was out of breathe. "was brilliant, love."

Yugi blinked, surprised. He wasn't upset with him? Even though he essentially just used him? Evidently he approved.

Yugi blinked once then smiled. "Men always want what they can't have." His eyes twinkled with merry mischief.

Timaeus' eyes flashed with wild fire, his smile curling. "Indeed they do." Without caring who was looking or who might see, Timaeus kisses him again. This time, Yugi kissed him back and when he pulled away he was giggling. Timaeus smiled. He would've kissed Yugi a third time had an impish giggle bit interrupted them.

Across from them, Rhebekka smirked, hands folded in her chin. She snorted suddenly then laughed so boisterously, she slapped her leg in reaction. "Aye to that! Curious, Yugi, how did you know about the cabbage?"

"My mother always made it, but she called it shw't back home." Yugi shrugged, simply. "It's a delicate vegetable so we had to eat it first."

"Aye, but how did you know it's healthy, is what I asked ye?"

Yugi smirked. "I know because until I was a man grown, she threatened that if I did not eat all of it, she would send me to bed without dessert."

Timaeus chuckled. "Your mother knew you well, I see."

Yugi rolled his eyes, but he hadn't stopped smiling.

X X X

Halfway through the meal, Yugi excused himself to see to Otogi. He slept peacefully, an empty mug of cannabis tea on the table. Smiling, Yugi set the plate on the side table and redressed his wounds with fresh linens and honey. The wounds were still closing but the joints were healing quickly. He smiled and made a note to return him to duty within half a tenday.

A soft knock at the door interrupted him. He blinked curiously. "Enter." He permitted, but not without confusion. He recognized the figure in the doorway at once: the red-haired soldier from that morning. He wore a sheepish expression and when he spoke, it was with none of the scratchiness it had that morning. "My Lord, uh, Quartermaster," he stumbled then corrected himself. "I wanted to thank you for that tonic this morning. It… helped."

Mute in disbelief, Yugi blinked. He hadn't meant anything by the gesture, and yet the simple offer of relief had been important enough to earn a private apology from one of the Dragon Knight's finest soldiers. The sheer humbleness of it cause all Yugi's breathe to vanish. "You are most welcome," he managed to breathe out courteously.

The soldier flashed a gracious smile and dismissed himself with a bow. Yugi nearly collapsed in the stool, suddenly grateful Otogi was asleep and could not see the flush on his face. When it settled, he found himself smiling, then laughing, spinning, beaming with the pride of a child who accomplished its first independent task. He almost didn't hear the next knock. Or the one after that. One by one, each of the men he'd assisted requested entrance, presented the empty bottles, and promptly thanked him for his kindness—some even asked if he had any more tonics. Yugi offered them without question, but not without strict application warnings. Only a few men kept the bottles, but none left without swearing an oath not to abuse it, and he chuckled as he watched them go.

He was about to head back downstairs when someone else entered unannounced. Yugi spun and his eyes darkened. Malik stood in the doorway, his face a stoic mask and his eyes betrayed no emotion, not a flicker of thought.

"State your business." Yugi steeled himself, professional and cold, and with no patience for the man's discontent.

Malik was silent, his eyes fluttered closed. He inhaled a small breathe. "I had a question for you," Malik said softly. His voice was raspy and rough like he was having trouble breathing. Yugi ached a skeptic brow. He'd expected snarling or snapping from Malik or at best restrained politeness, but Malik did not sound angry. At best he sounded scared, or even confused.

There was a long pause as though Malik was not quite sure how to voice the question. "Why did you…earlier… you…when the Trierarch asked, why did you…" He stuttered, the action and timid expression unnatural on the man's normally arrogant face.

Long lashes swept Yugi's cheek in a quick, confused blink.

"Why did you tell the Trierarch that you—why did you protect me?" He said it like it was a strange, unfamiliar shape on his tongue, but he said it.

He expected Yugi to understand then, instead Yugi blinked again. "What do you mean?"

Malik made a groaning sound. He wanted the conversation over before he lost his nerve and they said something awful. "Earlier, when you—"

"No, not that," Yugi cut him off. Malik shot up in surprise. "I meant what do you mean by why? It was the truth. I struck you first, regardless of the reasons why I did. There was no need for you to be punished for my actions." Yugi gave a nonchalant shrug before returning to his work.

Malik's jaw dropped in surprise, stunned mystification bulged his eyes and his face was a mask of shock. His mouth gapped and twisted trying to form words but no sounds came out. Then he stopped and looked at the floor.

Yugi hopped over, concerned. "Are you alright?"

Malik shuddered suddenly and a low rumbling sound escaped his lips. Yugi couldn't tell if he was laughing or sobbing.

"Mal—" Cut off when Malik stood up, Yugi took a step back. The man's emotionless eyes and stoic face returned. "There is something else," he said, quietly, his eyes closed and he inhaled a small breathe—then dropped to his knees in apology.

Yugi's jaw dropped, all shields melted to a stunned, muted disbelief.

"Lord Ujalah, consort of the Trierarch and First of His Royal Majesty King Dartz's Order of Dragon Knights, and Magistrate of Locri, Timaeus, I-" There was a pause. "I wish to express my gratitude for your kindness in regards to the healing of my person, and your mercy concerning the events of this evening."

Yugi stared him in stunned silence, saying nothing.

"And..." Malik paused in the final declaration, like he was forbidden to say the next words. "I wish to apologize for my words and sins against you and beg your forgiveness."

Shocked to silence, Yugi could only listen. Stunned mystification caused him to drop to his chair. "You do not..." Yugi started to say, but Malik halted him—though there was no malice in his voice.

"Let me finish. When the Trierarch first announced your presence to us, I thought you no more than the spiteful child you appeared to be—a tool for peace and nothing more—and I confess it left me bitter. I must also confess that I thought our Trierarch deserved better than the shackles of a loveless marriage born from politics. It never once occurred to me that you were but a stranger who suddenly had this new role thrust ignorantly upon you. Even during your moments of strength, I opted such kindness to arrogance, and I did not think that you and he might have had…" Again, he looked away, embarrassed, "… feelings for each other. When it was apparent that _he_ did, I feared the Trierarch's obsession with you would distract him. And I feared you would take advantage of that obsession for your own personal gain. But then today…" For a moment he could not speak. "You were a better man than I had seen in a long time. I am ashamed of my actions now and I hope that in time, I may be forgiven."

Yugi sat still for a moment, saying nothing, only listening. Words evaded his thoughts like a flock of birds abandoning a tree. His mind processed the wile of the apology as well as its sincerity—the level of respect and courage it took to come here and offer it, to admit to such weakness and confess it to him.

Yugi smiled then laughed—a kind, sweet laugh that made Malik look at him as though he'd gone mad.

"There is nothing to forgive," Yugi said. The man stared at him blankly and moved to speak, but Yugi shook his head.

"No, my friend, you've confessed and now it is my turn. I know your first impression of me did not foster any hopes for our union, mine and the Trierarch's. You are right; I was bitter and I was spiteful and the reasoning is even more childish than my actions, and it was wrong of me to thrust my anger on my husband and my fellow men." Then he smiled. "But I want to change that. The Trierarch and I have forgiven each other, and it's time I was there for my crew. You are just as much mine as you are Timaeus', and I will not let a single man stumble," he declared.

Malik was silent for a moment, taking in the words. Then he smiled and rose, but bowed slightly. "We were such fools." The confession was but a whisper of wind, but when he rose to see Yugi again, he added, "Fools to doubt the Trierarch's judgment."

The discussion was halted by the opening of the door.

Timaeus entered unannounced as he always did, bright-faced and smiling when he saw his husband. "I thought I'd find you here." There was a sly wink to his words that stilled when he saw Malik on the floor.

He frowned once then asked Yugi evenly, "Am I interrupting something?"

Malik stood and bowed. "Forgive me, Trierarch. I was just leaving." He did not hesitate to dismiss himself, leaving the two monarchs alone. Yugi turned to look at Timaeus, who now cast his emerald gaze on him: his ghostly eye a blank reflection betraying no emotion in its harder twin.

"Come." Timaeus offered his hand. "We've business to discuss."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again SO proud of this chapter! little Yugi has come such a long way hasn't he :) He's even won over MALIK!
> 
> Now the question is what does Timaeus have planned for our favorite little prince ;)
> 
> NEXT TIME: Timaeus makes good on his promise.
> 
> As always thank you all SO much for you patience! You have no idea how much it means to me.


	46. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucky for Yugi, Timaues always keeps his promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REWRITE! PART 3
> 
> The Part everyone's been waiting for...

_Chapter ILVI: Promise  
_

Yugi took his hand and Timaeus led the way. Silence fell between them and Yugi felt unsettled by it. The grip on his hand was soft and almost loving, but his expression remained as readless as it had been when his eyes had fallen on Malik, Yugi's eyes lit up at the new possibility. Had he thought there was further conflict between them? After he expressly forbade it and offered his leniency? Was he still angry about the brawl earlier? He'd expected Timaeus to be angry but never had the man been so consumed by a single emotion as to fall completely silent. Yugi nibbled his lower lip nervously, but squared his shoulders. He promised he would not let this ruin them and he meant it, but it still left him anxious and uncertain.

He barely heard the doors open until the Great Cabin's worn hinges squeaked in protest. Timaeus pushed them open with a single shove and released Yugi's hand to gesture him inside. Yugi straightened his back and stepped in. Timaeus after him. Along with the Trierarch, Yugi felt his heart pound as Timaeus locked the door. The silence more deafening than a scream and his nerves a jumble of wrestling, knotted serpents, Yugi inhaled a breath and questions "Timaeus?"

He never got to finish his sentence. Timaeus whirled him around and, pulling him into him into his arms, crushed his lips to Yugi's. Gasping as the taller, harder body pinned him against the rim of the war table, spilling pieces as it shook. Yugi's hands slid back to gain purchase of something sturdy. The second of surprise ended quickly. Yugi's eyes fluttered closed and he moaned into the kiss, returning it with just as much fervor. He had only a moment to savor it before Timaeus gently pulled away. Yugi's breathe was a soft moan.

The words were spoken of a soft and deep whisper, awed and almost hungry. Yugi regained enough sense to blush. Then blinked.

"You…you're…not mad?" he asked almost nervously, blinking again,

Timaeus grinned: a proud, roguish thing. "I understand why you fought. You had every right too, but you still attacked _me_ , blindly, and you _did_ almost start a brawl after I ordered everyone not too." A fingertip ran down the length of Yugi's cheek and neck and back up to curl under his jaw. With a sharp tilt, Yugi's chin was raised. "I don't think I like that."

The tone made Yugi shiver. He bit back another moan when Timaeus' hard, strong body pressed further into his soft and pale one. Then lips descended upon his own and Yugi gasped. A hot tongue enticed his own to play, and his senses burned with the taste of rich spices and the warm sea breeze, his train of thought quickly falling apart under the intense sweetness.

He arched into playful touches running up his sides and his hands trembled. Struggling to keep his balance, his strength unhinged when those warm lips kissed the rim of his mouth than traveled down his neck. Ghostly fingers spidered up his chest making him shiver, then slid the underarmor off his shoulder and kisses descended on his collar.

Yugi gasped in surprise, his senses quickly clearing. "N-No—wait." He squeaked though he was unsure what he wanted.

"No?" Timaeus pulled away, his eyes glittering but his smile was warm. "Perhaps this then?" Two strong arms suddenly encircled his waist and heaved Yugi up onto the table. He heard a loud rip and his palms slid under him. He fell back against the table, pieces scattering into his outline. Yugi shivered and struggled up into a half-sitting position. Timaeus leered above him, eyes glittering but his face was a warm smile: proud and loving and without a trace of teasing.

"You had every right to put Malik in his place, Yugi." The words were a warm breath wafting against his ear. "You could've easily instigated him further but you did not. You could've handed him the capital punishment and no one would've spoken against you: instead you showed him mercy. You could have handed his judgement over to me and let that be the end of it, instead you took it upon yourself. You showed true strength this day. I'm very proud of you."

Tears pricked Yugi's eyes though he could not fathom why. The sheer earnest behind those words made him shiver. Something warm and deep exploded in his chest. Timaeus' gentle words and declaration of pride burned away all of his uncertainty and he felt the enclosed haughty shell of his former self dying in the passion fueled flames of Timaeus' soft touch and warm smile and the phoenix reborn from the ashes was alive and blazing: a creature of confidence and desire as well as challenge.

Above him, Timaeus gently brushed away the tears with his thumbs, smile beaming. "So proud." He rewarded Yugi with another kiss.

Yugi nearly burst from happiness and threw his arms around him in a tight hug. Timaeus caught him and returned the passionate embrace with one of his own. Hearing, seeing, watching Yugi defend his right to be at his side, that Timaeus was his and he, Timaeus': nothing had made him prouder. Happier. More aroused. He doubted even the most skeptical of his men would question Yugi's authority now.

Still drunk on the excitement of watching him fight and the possessive glee of Yugi's bold declaration, Timaeus wasted no time in deepening the kiss. Cupping Yugi's cheek in one hand, the other found the small of his back and gently maneuvered him backwards.

Lying his little prize back against the table Yugi gasped and mewled with delight when Timaeus' lips went lower. Talented hands, fiery kisses and passionate caresses, had all but set Yugi's body on fire. His whole body shivered and squirmed in a symphony of sweet sounds. How long had it been since their wedding day? A tenday maybe two? Three at most? Why did it feel like so much longer? Yugi shuddered again. It was a long time to go without touch. He blushed harder thinking how difficult it must've been for Timaeus after their compromise.

Timaeus was no different, leering down at his lovely prize, wild-eyed and lost in the orchestra of the delicious sounds Yugi made. Each chaste kiss to the exposed skin of his collar and shoulder brought giggling squeaks of delight. Each spidery stroke along the bare skin of his sides made him mewl and purr. High pitched hybrids between a moan and a whimper followed each time his lips and hands moved, and every gentle caress of his bottom and thigh was rewarded with a shuddering squeak: a symphony of pleasure and delight and Timaeus devoured each sweet sound, ravenously.

All too quickly he pulled away. Yugi whimpered in response, eyes pulled into a blink of confused pleading. Dainty hands poised to pull him back.

It was a miracle of his will, Timaeus did not devour the boy at once, but he had a promise to keep—and a lesson to teach.

"Yet you must not forget," he leaned over him, eyes grave and glittering. His smile had not lost its warmth. "I am the Trierarch: keeping the men in line is my duty. Yours, sweetling, is to solve disputes and take care of everyone, especially now that you are Quartermaster."

Yugi blushed, pinned in place by those blazing eyes.

Timaeus sighed dramatically, "Now I am torn," he said with mock dilemma. "I'm uncertain if I should reward you or punish you."

The tone was teasing, but Yugi jumped. "P-punish me?" He demanded half insulted, half excited. "For wha-ah!" He didn't get to finish as he was suddenly hoisted into Timaeus' arms, like a lop-sided bride and carried down the familiar path to the Trierarch's quarters. The Trierarch smirked. "You _did_ just confess you struck first did you not?"

The former prince blushed and Timaeus beamed.

"You've left me in quite a predicament, little one. I simply don't know _what_ I'm going to do with you?" He deposited his burden on the bed, and Yugi yelped when he sank into the feathers, and shivered under those leering eyes. Just now, he became aware of the large rip exposing his right side and hip, and the loose silver fabric hanging comically off his left shoulder, and that hungry, blazing look in the Trierarch's eye. Yugi's heart pounded. He _knew_ that look. Knew it from the first time they'd met, the first time they'd kissed, and so many more moments after that—that same amorous leer of sheer amazement that bordered on desire. The look Timaeus used when he wanted him, and was determined to have Yugi want him back.

Yugi's eyes pulled into a smirk. Well, two could play at that came. With a sudden burst of confidence and energy from his pounding heart, Yugi pushed into a seated position and crossed his legs. One hand, balancing him the other gripping the fabric of his opposite shoulder and ripping it down. The fabric tore exposing, honey milk skin.

A coquettish smile curled at his lips and his half-lidded eyes glittered with merry wickedness. "You know," Yugi drawled in a seductive purr. "You don't _have_ to punish me." The rest of the armor fell, exposing a slim chest and soft curves. His smirk curled a little when Timaeus froze. "You could just reward me today, and then punish me later, couldn't you?" Soft, slender hands tiptoed up Timaeus' chest, then gently shoved him down so the other was sprawled across the bed, and Yugi across his lap. "You _are_ the Trierarch no one could argue or speak against you and who's to complain once it's been done?" Lotus blue eyes glittered bright and brilliant with a lustful amethyst hue.

Beneath him Timaeus growled like a hungry beast denied its kill. Oh, clever little thing, his lotus, imp, consort, Yugi, was. With a sudden surge of strength, Timaeus ceased Yugi's biceps and flipped the over, the younger yelped as he was moved and suddenly found himself pinned beneath the starving hunter that was his husband, and gulped when he felt the tattered remains of his clothing slip further own his hips—where one of Timaeus' strong, experienced hands was already placed. All the other had to do was rip, and he'd be his.

"You know?" Timaeus purred above him. A low, rumbling tone relaxed as thunder and just as grave. Yugi gulped. "I think I like that idea."

Yugi's eyes lit with a sudden nervous panic, as the other leaned down. Yugi closed his eyes and waited for another tantalizing wave of paralyzing kisses. All he felt was a gentle press to his forehead. He blinked and looked up. Timaeus pulled away with warm eyes. "Rest well, my little one, I gave you my word I'd wait and I have no intention of breaking that vow." He promised and sealed the bond with a chaste kiss to his cheek

It was honesty not hesitation and his willingness to keep that promise nearly caused Yugi's heart to burst.

Then Timaeus' eyes glittered. "But," His hands moved wickedly to cup Yugi's buttocks and started kneading the soft flesh.

"Oh God!" Yugi can only scream and spreads his knees apart. Timaeus' hand slips behind him and starts peeling off the filthy underarmor and lowered his mouth to Yugi's soft thighs. "When I'm finished with you, you'll wish I had."

X X X

When Yugi awoke again the next morning, it was in a dazed stupor, he rolled over and found Timaeus asleep next to him. He smiled: giddy and exuberant and leaned forward to kiss him.

There was a brief rustle of movement then his eyes opened. He smiled lovingly, arms rested next to his consort's frame, one hand artistically brushing Yugi's feathery bangs clear from his face with tender care. "Good morning."

"Morning," Yugi giggled, sweetly. The soft, chiming sound was music in Timaeus' ears.

For a spell of time the two monarchs lay there: watching the other smile, basking in the dreamy tenderness and exchanging loving, wordless glances. The silence all the more comforting for it.

"Am I forgiven?" Yugi asked in a whisper though the words lost none of their playful sweetness.

Timaeus sat himself up and shook his head chuckling. "There was nothing to forgive, my love," he said moving his hand to stroke and cup Yugi's cheek. "But…" he added, eyes flickering. "I trust you learned your lesson?" There was a tease in the warning that made Yugi nod. "Yes," he sighed.

"And?" Timaeus chided, gently.

"You are the Trierarch, I am your Quartermaster. You keep everyone in line and I take care of everyone."

"And…" Timaeus pressed in a melatonin drag.

Yugi snorted but snuggled his cheek against the man's side. "No more fights."

"Good." Timaeus smiled then slid down to give Yugi a proper kiss. Yugi returned it whole heartedly.

"Although," Timaeus added when they pulled away, "I must admit, watching you fight Malik like that was the most _enticing_ thing I'd ever seen," he said, eyes glittering and Yugi blushed.

"Was it?" Yugi said with a coquettish cock of the head, still blushing.

Timaeus blinked, surprised. Even more so when Yugi wedged himself closer and plopped into his lap "What about now?" He leaned so close their faces almost touch, and the warm sleekness of Yugi's skin burned through the thin small clothes he wore and set his arousal afire. His gentle hands were like spiders weaving silky trails along his skin. Their tiny legs dancing like pinpricks before bursting into a thousand galvanizing sparks, tempting and teasing with touches so soft and tempting that for a moment, Timaeus thought flames were licking at him. Yugi was like a flame tempting the moth: so close he could burn him easily, but instead he patiently waited for his prey to take the bait and embrace the sweet, tempting softness of his kiss before striking.

And burn he would, Timaeus knew, feeling the flames spike his blood with temptation and the beast inside his mind banged at its cages demanding to take its sweet prize, blissfully unaware of its fate. It would be so easy to set it free. With the key already in the lock, and all he had to do was turn it…Instead he snapped it shut, curled his lips into a smirk and ceased Yugi's chin.

"I am tempted," he answered. "So _very_ tempted." He pulled Yugi closer, shivering with a possessive delight when Yugi shivered. His eyes fluttered close and he parted his lips to kiss him—then his fingers slipped and he kissed and grasped open air. Caught back, his eyes shot open, blinking, bewildered and dumbstruck.

A giggle came from the corner. He shot towards it in just enough time for Yugi struggling to keep his hands over his mouth before he erupted into a laughter so harsh he tumbled from the bed.

Timaeus growled. "You. Devious, little. Imp." He punctured each word with a grated growl and a domineering step until he was over the crumpling, laughing mess.

Yugi had only a moment to scrutinize him before he pounced. Yugi shrieked when Timaeus ceased him round the middle and pinned him to the bed. His breathe gone in a single second and his heart palpitating. Timaeus fixated him with a curled smile like a hungry hound that hadn't eaten in weeks and Yugi was a tempting treat.

"Didn't I not warn you?" His voice was a sultry rasp, dangerously low and laced with wicked promise. "Not to start something unless you intended to finish it, you naughty little thing?" There was a patronizing tease to the words like a patient taskmaster scolding a stubborn apprentice. It made Yugi's heart pound even more—whether it as from excitement or fear, he didn't know which.

"Now I have to punish you." Timaeus' hand slipped below the folds of Yugi's shift. Determined fingers sliding across the silks like a shark until he felt the rouge fingers slide up his leg, his thigh, towards his bottom…Yugi closed his eyes and bit his lip. Heart pounding in his heart and his breath frozen in his throat…waiting, anticipating.

A sharp sting slapped across the side of his bottom and thigh: Yugi reacted with the force of a wound up spring, shrieking and flailing all his limbs in a single, terrorized movement. Shock and fear nursed by anticipation and impatience exploded into a moment of pure terror and then vanished all at once. After a few heavy breathes to calm himself down, Yugi felt his mind clear and processed the memory. Rubbing the reddening skin of his side, he stared at Timaeus with a mixture of shock and utter disbelief.

Timaeus stood, smirking. "There, now that you've learned your lesson…" he strutted to the wardrobe, pulled out an outfit for himself and tossed Yugi his clothes: a slippery, silken garment and leggings Yugi recognized as the gown he'd worn his first night on the ship. "Hurry up and get dressed. We've much to do before dawn."

Yugi's lashes swept across his cheek. He stared at the outfit then at Timaeus.

"Don't give me that look," Timaeus' sharp voice shook. Yugi fixed Timaeus with a scowl but the elder only smirked. "You've worn that underarmor for nearly a week straight and after that scuffle last night you'll be lucky if Rhebekka can have it cleaned and patched in a few days. Until then its time you adjusted to a Magistrate's wardrobe."

"I wasn't talking about the clothes!" Yugi shook his head regaining his sensed and pointed and accusing finger "You…" he paused shaking in anger and unable to find the right description. "Spanked me?" he tried.

Timaeus snorted. "At worst I swatted your bottom, are you _really_ going to make a scene after all the teasing you've been doing?" he challenged arching an eyebrow.

Fiercely wanting to protest, Yugi glared at him and with a final snort to save his pride, relented and pulled off his shift. He donned the small clothes and leggings first, then hesitated pulling on the shift.

Timaeus frowned. "Is it uncomfortable?" he asked curious.

Yugi shook his head. "It's not that it's just…so odd." He pulled the top over his head to tie the rest of it. He'd didn't object when Timaeus helped him with the belts. "I'm not used to wearing so much at once."

"I understand," Timaeus nodded tying the top. "You are used to Kemet's hot climate and the versilitude of the sea. You've not yet experienced Locri's warm winds and cold spells, but I'm sure in time you will get used to them."

"I hope so." Yugi's response was a long sigh, but he flashed Timaeus a small smile.

The man only smiled then added curly. "Don't even think of brawling it in though. Else you'll have to go naked until we reach Locri, and I'll not have rumor spreading that I can't provide for my wife." He said with a serious eye and a sultry playfulness in his tone as teasing fingers lifted to stroke the delicate curve of Yugi's soft cheek. "So you had best behave yourself."

Yugi snorted with derision.

Timaeus' eyes hardened. "Yugi?" Timaeus regarded him with even eyes and stern irritation. Still Yugi stubbornly remained silent. He decided to change tactic. "You realize," he only half threatened "I could still punish you for your brawling. Justified or not."

"Punish me?" Yugi shrieked, shrill with irritation. "I am not some child!" He retorted with so little respect _were_ he a child he'd have been slapped for it.

"No?" Timaeus said: voice stern and face stoic, but eyes and smile blazing: one with hunger the other with challenge. Yugi wasn't sure which excited him more. "Perhaps I should turn you over my knee and spank you?"

Yugi spun to him aghast and appalled. A part of him wondered if he was jesting and knew the answer, the other found the idea, dare he even consider it, arousing. "You wouldn't dare!"

Timaeus' smirk widened "Do you wish to test me?"

Yugi knew the smirk and that tone. He'd used it before, when he asked Yugi if he wished to learn the secret of Timaeus' scar, and had only wanted to test his resolve.

"You would," he said without hesitation then added boldly, "but you would not do it to punish me, you would do it just to tease me."

A rich laugh rolled off his Timaeus tongue. Levering the stern in place he leaned against the railing, legs crossed elegantly. "No, little one, I would not..." He tugged the finger of his glove, stripping it from the flesh. "I told you, I'm far more chivalrous with my lovers than that," he stripped the second in the same fashion and left them at his side.

Then he pushed himself up and bowed to meet Yugi's eyes, the bare fingers reaching to stroke his cheek, the gentlest of promises. "And _you_ are my consort."

Yugi trembled under his touch, but not in fear. Slowly, Timaeus bent down to kiss him. Yugi leaned into the touch. Timaeus pulled away and pinned Yugi's back to the wall. Hard. His face was set with a humored smile, but his eyes were grave. "I am serious, Yugi." His tone was serious and dangerously seductive.

This was not his husband whose tender kisses warmed his skin and offered him companionship or the Rouge who only minutes before set his soul aflame.

This was the Trierarch, whose command was absolute and who would not hesitate to coerce Yugi to his will, and who looked at him like a hungry beast and Yugi was a rabbit he couldn't wait to devour.

It sent a shiver through him: whether it was excitement or fear, Yugi, himself, did not know.

"I catch you brawling again, I'll throw you over my shoulder and drag you to the brigs myself. And if I have to tell you a _third_ time…" He spun Yugi around in his arms and slid a rough hand up Yugi's thigh. His face curled into a smirk. His next words dangerously low with lust and gravity in Yugi's ear. "Then I will tan this pretty ass of yours until it's as red as your face." He finished with a quick swat across Yugi's bottom to make his point.

Yugi blushed and spun to face him when Timaeus let him go. His hands instinctively moved to cover the abused area. "Fine." Yugi grumbled fiddling with the skirts then flashed Timaeus a derisive smile. "Shame this is my _only_ outfit."

Timaeus threw his head back and laughed, his husband once more. "I apologize, love. Had I'd known I'd be returning from Kemet with a bride," he teased, leaning against the wardrobe, then launched into a grand, dramatic bow. "I'd have kept a wardrobe stocked full of silks and satins and fur and all else befitting a Magistrate of Locri."

Despite himself, Yugi laughed. "Oh, Timaeus." He shook his head, but he was smiling.

"By the way," Timaeus asked with an almost childish curiosity. "What was it that Malik wanted?"

Hoping from the stool, Yugi grinned, laughing impishly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Timaeus did not miss the coquettish wink in his eye. "As a matter of fact, I would." He took long steps closer until he towered over Yugi, eyes sly and grinning. "Or do I have to force it out of you?" He smiled a smile that promised things.

Yugi met his eyes, grinning and locking eyes with his lover until he could stand it no longer and broke into a fit of giggles.

Timaeus rewarded him by lifting him from the waist and trapping him on the stool, strong hands pinning the slender hips in place and looked up at his little medic with fox eyes. "Well?" he demanded in a playfully-threatening tone.

Yugi was almost tempted, but at the last moment, decided against it. "If you must know," Yugi began, shaking back a curtain of hair. "He came to thank me for the elixir I offered him for his burnt skin—several of the men have actually—and," he paused deliberately and waited for the impatience to sparkle in Timaeus' eyes.

"And?" As expected, the man asked, arching an impatient brow.

"He wished to apologize for any rudeness over the course of our voyage and I, in turn, apologized for my," he paused again, this time out of embarrassment, "less than lord-like behavior when we first met."

Timaeus pulled away, his lips lifting into a proud smile. "Well done," he cheered, and helped him down when Yugi offered his hand. "I knew you would do well." His eyes were beaming and in that moment, Yugi could've died smiling: he felt so happy. Instead, he embraced his husband tightly, and felt the warm strength of his arms when he returned the gesture. All too quickly for Yugi's liking, it ended.

"Come." Timaeus offered his hand. "We've much to do this day."

Yugi smiled and accepted his hand. Then he pushed himself up and kissed him sweetly. "Let's" he pulled away with a bright smile.

Timaeus blinked for a moment, gentle fingers brushed his lips where the kiss lingered and his tongue tasted the sweet flavor of honey and pomegranates and something else that was distinctly Yugi. Once certain, he chuckled "What was that for?"

"A thank you," Yugi said, a blush painting his cheeks rosy. "For the other day."

Timaeus only smiled and kissed the corner of his lips and slipped his hand in Yugi's. "Shall we?" Timaeus led him away, beaming with pride at the light shining off his little consort. Pride, confidence, hope… It made his heart flutter.

One day, and one day soon, he would make a true noble authority.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how I feel about the title but it just seemed to fit :)
> 
> I am SO proud of this section! oh my gosh you have NO idea how hard that scene with Yugi and Timaeus was to write! THAT was the part that took the better part of TWO MONTHS to finish! it was So hard cause i aready had the awesome scenes between them written so now i Had to work backwards phew!
> 
> Well if you'll all remmebr back in march i took a break due to block for these chapters and prewrot the earlier ones...well i am pleased to announce TIMAEUS UPDATES WILL BE BACK TO WEEKLY! (angel choir!) thank god!
> 
> Still figuring out a good day so let me know what works for everyone otherwsie i think I'll stick with Wednesdays :)
> 
> NEXT TIME: Timaeus and Yugi have a serious discussion about their marriage and upcoming nuptuials and a sudden storm leads to an unexpected surprise...
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions and go nuts! And thank you everyone for waiting for patiently for this! i love you all!


	47. Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Timaeus and Yugi have a serious discussion about their marriage and upcoming nuptuials and a sudden storm leads to an unexpected surprise..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote this chapter six months ago...this is what I did my entire trip for Florida back in March and finished it up on the plane home :) This chapter...Its my favorite so far i had it in my head since i started this story and was SO happy to finally put pen to paper!
> 
> The early scene was actually inspired by a very passionate reviewer named Felicia Monkind-her and I having a very strong debate about Timaeus after the beginning chapters and her opinions honestly made me think and I enjoyed her suggestions and her feedback, so the beginning scene was inspired by her comments. So thanks for that hun! I honestly couldn't think of a better place to put it then this chapter since that knowledge and confirmation I really think was the first step Yugi and Timaeus needed to really breaking through their shells and taking the next step-hence the second part of this chapter!
> 
> ALSO: I started creating a soundtrack for Timaeus based on the themes, characters and certain events in the story...this one being my personal favorite, I have two songs that really go with it and every time I listen to them I just think Timaeus and Yugi...I strongly suggest listening them while you read, especially the second half:
> 
> Clarity-Zedd (Timaeus of Locri's theme song-it just screamed Timaeus and Yugi first time i heard it)
> 
> Fearless-Taylor Swift-Its just perfect for this chapter

_Chapter XLVII: Dance_

"Ow!" Yugi complained with a vocal whine.

"Yugi…" Timaeus dragged out the name with a heavy, patient sigh. "We've already discussed this. The more you struggle, the more it's going to hurt."

With a childish harrumph, Yugi crossed his arms, his face scrunched in a pout. "You could be gentler."

Timaeus snorted, unamused. "I've been plenty gentle. You keep fidgeting."

"Do not!"

"You fret like a sheltered maiden on her wedding night."

"I do not!" Yugi protested and spun, a blush blooming pink across his cheeks.

"You just did so again," Timaeus pointed out in a rough, grated voice. "Now hold still or we'll be here 'till midday."

With an exasperated huff, Yugi obeyed and Timaeus returned to his work and proceeded to untangle the drying locks with a wooden comb.

Half a ten-day later, the newly christened Quartermaster found himself fully assimilated into his new role. His mornings had settled into a regular martial routine: Timaeus would rise early and Yugi with him. After their bath, Tim would survey everything from water levels to storage arrangements, and set every man able-bodied on the ship to work. Yugi would accompany him, and after, cook the morning meal. They'd break their fast together then separate for their individual duties. Though Rhebekka still held position over the more political aspects of the ship, the role of Physician and Chef was now Yugi's domain. And when he returned to the great cabin after fixing the evening meal, he'd collapse on the bed he shared with Timaeus utterly exhausted and content to let the man ravish him with pride.

"It's not my fault I have so much hair," Yugi mumbled, leaning back againsr the warm chest.

"Your hair is beautiful," Timaeus insisted, weaving the smooth, darkening strands back behind Yugi's ears with his fingers. "It's soft and shiny like raven feathers and your forelock looks like a golden crown. It makes you look like royalty."

"I _am_ royalty," Yugi boasted proudly. He would never admit it out loud, but this part of his day delighted him most. Never once had Timaeus' confidence in him faltered, even when they argued—Yugi hadn't given up on his habit of barging in unasked and uninvited if he suspected his too busy husband was missing meals. To see the pride beaming on Timaeus' face in those brief moments Yugi caught him staring, the way his mismatched eyes gleamed when Yugi stood his ground or how his lips curled into a smile each time Yugi defended his case smoothly and unabashed, though Timaeus hid it well: it made his inside giggle and sent a thrill through him.

"Indeed." Timaeus paused to smile at the sultry amethyst eyes. When their gazes met, the challenge was spoken and they flashed their most tempting grins. Then Yugi pulled away and cocked his head like a bird, grinning and livid eyes twinkling with mischief. Playful fingers danced up the man's long, muscled leg yet remaining strictly at arm's length—overwhelmingly desirable but completely unattainable. He smirked when Timaeus growled, eyes becoming narrowed and shaded. Only he could make Timaeus this wild, this sensitive. Yugi beamed with pride. He would be the _only_ one to make him act this, he decided, cupidously.

Timaeus' snatched his hands, halting all further actions. The deep, alluring emerald of his eyes darkened to a liquid myrtle that had not lost a hint of its sparkle. Its pearlescent twin flashed with clear, sinister silver. He certainly didn't miss the coquettish glint in the sprite's calculating eyes. Creeping forward, he flashed a smile bright with merry wickedness. Yugi saw it, and all the bravado melted from his face.

Timaeus' smile curled. He leaned forward but Yugi's retreat matched his step for step. Then Timaeus paused, so close Yugi felt his warm breath on his face, and his every nerve trembled. His hand moved ever so carefully, ever so gently to lace around those suddenly-trembling thighs. One hand stopped, the other gently grasped his hand, then both squeezed and Yugi gasped.

"And just what are you planning, my mischievous little sprite?"

When the rumbled words left his lips, Timaeus leaned forward and pressed his lips against the other's.

The intensity of it crashed against the sheer gentleness of it and Yugi's whole body liquefied under him, and he sank into Timaeus' warm, welcoming arms. Yugi grasped him with shaking hands and quivering thighs. _I'm just as bad_ , he admitted, when the kiss left his lips but trailed down his neck and collar. He gasped and moaned under Timaeus' tender ministrations, thighs quivering in Timaeus' lap, and his shaking hands suddenly lost their grip.

Desperate for support, they reached for the wall, but clenched empty air. Before he could gather his bearings, he tumbled to the floor with a yelp of surprise. He winced with a loud hiss and rubbed his abused bottom. A choked snort followed the abrupt movement and Yugi shot up, glaring.

Timaeus looked down at him, bright-eyed and impossibly-wide grin pinched, holding back laughter. Yugi's brows slanted. Embarrassed fury cracked his voice. "If you _dare_ …" He punctured each word with a low hiss, despite the blush suffusing his cheeks with color.

If anything, Timaeus' grin only grew larger. "I will try," he promised in a squeezed, squeaky voice opposite of his normal, deep baritone.

Yugi only blushed harder. Gathering his dignity, the boy rose to recover the slip he'd worn the night before and tossed Timaeus his under-armor. "Get dressed," Yugi ordered, retrieving his slip from the floor **.**

"Yes," Timaeus offered a hand and shoved the door out the privy open. "Before Rhebekka begins wondering where we've been."

"Oh, yes, we don't want her wild imagination wandering to mischievous places." He took Timaeus' hand and followed him into the room, grinning.

"Aye," Timaeus snorted impishly and crept behind his little lover. "No matter," he whispered, low and husky in Yugi's ear—emphasizing his desire by slipping his fingers along the bare curve of Yugi's shoulders where the shift exposed his throat. "We will have our own wedding venture soon enough."

Yugi blushed.

It struck him suddenly, like a douse of cold water, just how close they were to Locri. To his new home, his new life… A new home he'd be sharing with Timaeus. A new life he'd have as his Magistrate—his consort. And something else, he realized at once. Flashing images burned in front of his eyes: the ritual carrying of the bride over the threshold, the wedding feast celebrating their union, the joined rooms they would now share as husband and consort, the nuptial bed waiting for them to consummate their marriage…

The _bedding_.

Heat crept up his neck and spread throughout his face and he shivered in… excitement? Fear? Perhaps both? He was a maiden married, but the bedding had yet to occur. Kemet's boys and girls alike were rarely maidens on their wedding night, but there has always been something wonderfully wicked and exciting about the bedding—yet now that the moment was upon him, Yugi's heart was pounding with what that truly meant. Once they arrive in Locri, he would become so much more than just Timaeus' Magistrate. He would become his consort… his _lover._

The thought terrified him as much as it excited him, though he was uncertain if it was the prospect of losing his virginity that frightened him or the actual bedding itself. It meant surrendering himself completely and exposing the very core of his body and soul. It meant laying down all his defenses, relinquishing control and becoming one with another person... with Timaeus. It meant… Yugi gulped, blushing harder than he had the first time Pas and Mut had explained it to him— _penetration_ : the pain and the pleasure that came from spilling one's maiden blood. And then there was Timaeus himself who, as a dashing, virile young man with a handsome face, _handsomer_ body, and wicked smirk, was _hardly_ unbeddable.

Yugi blushed deeper. He'd grown so used to the casual progression of their relationship: the casual kissing, the dallied teasing, and the playful, coquettish way they challenged each other in bed. It was so natural and delightful, his body and soul seeming to know already what to do, what it wanted—and it wanted Timaeus. Already his body was sensitive to Timaeus' every touch, aching and longing for the day their relationship went beyond chaste kisses and playful teasing. Yet it was a foudroyant prospect all the same.

Timaeus watched his lover grow quiet and frowned, puzzled. Yugi unwound himself from Timaeus' arms and wrapped his hands and arms around his shoulders like he was chilled. The sudden unhappy expression on his lover's downcast face unnerved him. Had he said something to upset him? Yugi had never shied away from his teasing before. Then again, his teasing had never gone beyond their chaste kisses and gentle touches either. Had Yugi's question not been one of curiosity but discomfort? He did not know, but he would rectify it now.

"Forgive me," he said, placing a gentle hand on Yugi's shoulder. "I was only teasing, Yugi," he insisted, apologetic and free of badinage.

"What?" Yugi blinked, perplexed, then shook his head. "No, no, it's not that." He sighed. "I'm just nervous, I suppose. We're almost at Atlantis—at Locri. There is still so much I do not know. Everything is happening so fast. I suppose I'm just uncertain…"

Timaeus put a finger under his chin and coaxed him to look up. "What troubles you, my sweet?" Timaeus halted his teasing.

Yugi thought for a moment. Thinking of their impending nuptials and consummation brought to life another question he'd had on his tongue but had never found a time and place proper enough to ask. "Not a trouble, a… curiosity, actually. The second wedding… I'm… not sure I understand it. Is it a repeat of the first, only more lavish? What purpose does it serve?"

Timaeus tensed. Pulling his hands away, he turned. "No, my little gem. It's much more than that."

Yugi frowned. "Is there some part of it that will unnerve me? Whatever it is, I wish to know. We promised no more secrets."

Timaeus shook his head. " 'Tis not that, love. I have no wish to keep the details from you. I am simply searching for the best way to explain them."

A pregnant silence passed between them, and Yugi felt suffocated by it. Timaeus took his hand and sat him down on the couch with the champagne silk and leggings in his lap, grateful Yugi slipped them on without fussing. He then retrieved his small clothes and dressed quickly. When he was finished, he sat down beside Yugi, the silence unbearable.

Yugi almost wished to retract the question when Timaeus asked suddenly, "Yugi, how simple is divorce in your country?"

The question stunned him so that, for a moment, Yugi could not speak. He organized his answer, then said, "Fairly easy and common. More so for the common folk than the aristocracy, but it requires no trouble unless one spouse charges the other with a marital crime."

"I see." Timaeus' smile was sad. "To answer your question, the second marriage is a reflection of our Chief God and Goddess who reunite for six months of the year. The custom is meant to celebrate the unification of a happy couple, succeeding the first and worst obstacles of marriage, but it serves another purpose, as well." He paused for so long Yugi feared he would have to ask what it was. Then Timaeus finally spoke. "When our patron God married his wife, he did so without her mother's consent and so furious was she that she demanded her daughter's return, going so far as to threaten all who opposed her. Eventually, the maiden was left with the choice of staying with her husband or returning with her mother. As it happened, her husband loved her dearly, but knew his wife missed her family and her home, and as much as he wanted for her to stay with him, he could not bear to see her unhappy. So he consented to let her return."

Yugi listened intently, hanging onto his every word. "Though the situation resolved itself so everyone was satisfied, we continue that ritual in her honor." He stopped and looked Yugi straight in the eye. "And so six moons to the day of the first celebration, the bride, like the Maiden, has a choice: she may remain with her husband in marriage or she may divorce him and return to her family with no shame nor scorn brought upon either party."

Yugi was stunned. "I-I thought," he stumbled over his words, his tongue suddenly clumsy and knotted, "the vows couldn't be undone and you couldn't—"

" _I_ couldn't," Timaeus explained. "But _you_ can. The vows could not be undone then because it is not possible before the second ceremony. After that, divorce is not difficult but more complex, but before that—well, it is no different than saying your partner is a poor one."

Yugi stared at him, perplexed.

"Had I divorced you, I'd be claiming you were a poor spouse, and it would shame you and dishonor me as an impatient husband. Were you to do so to me, it would be no different."

Yugi understood then: he was being given an escape, a chance to undo the past and start a new life on his own terms without the fear and stigma of the consequences. Even the Treaty would still be in effect. For all his grief, however, he had never considered divorce. He _had_ wanted to marry Timaeus. For all his rants, he never once thought of actually leaving and divorce seemed more like a childish escape than an option for freedom.

"Is that why you said you wouldn't divorce me? To spare us both shame?" He heard the words but couldn't recall saying them, like his spirit was a phantom floating above his body and the vacant shell was speaking on its own.

"It is a part of it," Timaeus confessed. "But mostly because I do not want to." He smiled. "I adored you, and I do even more now. I cannot imagine having anyone else in my arms each night and at my side each day."

The confession enthralled him as much as it terrified him, and not for the first time, Yugi found himself questioning, _If I surrendered my heart to you, will you protect it? If I lay my shields down and accept all you give me, will I care what happens to me so long as it's your arms I land in?_

His next question sank on the tip of his tongue, terrified to be put out into the world. _But ask it, I must._ "And if I couldn't bear you?" he asked suddenly. "What would you do, then?"

The couch creaked when Timaeus rose from it. His shrug was nonchalant but his eyes glittered with sadness. "Then I would tell my King you want an annulment, on whatever grounds you choose. Then I'd arrange separate quarters and such for you until a time you can choose your family."

"What about the treaty?" Yugi asked.

"What about it? The King can always take you as his ward and it would suffice."

"But… the shame… witnesses?"

Timaeus raised a hand. "I told you once that I only want to make you happy. I meant it and still do, so if you truly could not bear it, I would not stop you. I'd rather be shamed and alone than see you married to someone you hated." He said it so casually, but Yugi heard the anguish in it and could stand no more.

"No!" He threw himself from the couch and hugged him tight, shaking his head. "Don't say such things! I don't hate you!" _I think I'm falling for you._ But he could not say that.

Timaeus looked surprised for a moment, but returned the hug and comforted him. "I don't hate you either." He gently brushed away a tear Yugi hadn't realized had fallen with a strong finger. Timaeus looked down at him and smiled reassuringly. "And there's plenty of good marriages that started with much less than that."

He hugged Yugi tighter, pressing them together. They stayed like that and for the first time in many days, Yugi felt warmth rush through him. Warm and safe and… loved. That was what he felt in Timaeus' arms. Loved. How had it happened so suddenly? He didn't know, but in that moment, he did not care.

They only pulled away when Yugi's pinched stomach voiced its discomfort with a loud grumble. The boy blushed and Timaeus chuckled.

"Come, let us eat. But first," he leaned in for another kiss, but his lips touched Yugi's finger instead.

"Uh-uh," Yugi tutted, wagging a scolding finger vertically, emboldened by the conversation. "You've already had your kiss for this morning," he said with a saucy smile, eyes bright with mischief and an obvious sway in his hips. "The rest you'll have to earn." With a playful wink, he was out of their apartments, leaving Timaeus alone, growling and hungry.

"Very well!" He licked his lips and gave chase. He pounced and caught his shrieking lover, who burst into a fit of laughter. "Now come," he chastised playfully. "Breakfast's not going to keep."

X X X

"Careful, love," Timaeus warned playfully over the roar of the wind. "If you lean any further, the wind's going to blow you away. You're so petite."

Yugi stuck out his tongue. "It's only wind. And I'm not that small, as you well know." The wind gathered up his hair in playful twirls, kissed his cheeks, and pillowed his clothes with all the tenderness of a teasing lover. Yugi giggled and breathed deeply. The air was spicy with the scent of brine and wet wood and left a saltine taste on his tongue when he exhaled. The bright sun warmed his skin and cast twinkling lights over the wide, brilliant cerulean waves like someone had scattered diamonds over a blue cloth. Yugi smiled and gazed lovingly at the wide, beautiful blue vastness of it. His duties as Quartermaster had commanded so much of his attention that Yugi almost forgot how much he loved the sea.

Timaeus watched his young lover with a bemused smile. Briefly, he wondered what he must do to keep such a smile on Yugi's face all the time. He pondered the thought, then sighed briefly and turned back to his navigator. "You're certain of those estimates?" he said in a rough demand.

Ryou nodded, one hand on the helm and the other pointing to the map on the small table. The wind curled the corners and he rolled it up before it could escape. "Positive," he insisted. "It was a sweet night, and the winds are on our side. We'll arrive in Locri on the morrow."

Yugi heard bits and pieces of the conversation, then blinked when the bright blue horizon he'd been observing suddenly changed color. "What's that there?" he asked, pointing a slender finger towards the gathering darkness.

The streaks of clouds suddenly knitted together like patches of a large cloth. Mountains heaped upon mountains of dark gray and silver, but not the heavy purple and blacks that promised a storm. No thunder roared in the distance. No lighting streaked the sky. Only thick pale gray clouds.

Timaeus turned his gaze to the sky and his eyes narrowed. Yugi copied him, curious, and watched as the blanket of clouds spread thick and heavy, but were quick and silent like a rolling mist. A shadow suddenly crept over the ship and the sun vanished.

Then it came. The first moisture rich drop fell and landed on Yugi's cheek, cooling it to the touch. Yugi jumped and blinked. Another drop quickly followed. Then another. At once, Yugi understood and his eyes widened.

"It's raining?" He jumped with a stutter in his words.

"Indeed," Timaeus agreed when the light drizzle suddenly picked up speed and rhythm. He spun to Ryou and ordered. "Tell the men to rig the oars and tie the scuttlebutts to the main deck. Buckets, barrels, anything you can find to gather water. Secure the helm then tell the men to get below. It's just rain, but I'm not taking any chances."

"Sir." Ryou bowed and did as he was bid.

Timaeus nodded and spun to his consort. "Yugi, we need to—" He stopped and blinked, puzzled. Yugi stood, skittishly examining the clear crystalline drops curiously. He held out a shaking hand and gasped when one landed on his hand, forming a tiny puddle that evaporated into his skin. Amethyst eyes blinked, fascinated and perplexed at once. Examining it like a child with a new curiosity to explore.

Timaeus chuckled. "It's only water, Yugi," he laughed, taking his lover's hand.

Yugi blinked several times, then shook his head when rain suddenly picked up and littered droplets in his hair. The cool winds suddenly turned warm and stagnant and Yugi spun around, holding out his free hand as more rain continued to fall, faster, heavier, and warmer.

"This is rain?" Yugi asked, surprised and disbelieving.

Timaeus could only smile. "I imagine they did not get much rain in the desert, hmm?" he asked, understanding at once.

"We did," Yugi said, blinking again, and unweaving his hand from Timaeus to catch more raindrops. Notorious for its limited rainfall, Kemet survived almost entirely from the water it inaugurated from the Nile. Rainfall was too infrequent, undependable, and unpredictable, and often accompanied a fierce storm. It fell cold and hard, and was just as likely to ruin a crop as it was to nurture it and sent people scattering and running for shelter. It was no rain for little boys to play in.

This was no such rain.

"But not like this…" Yugi noted with a dreamy smile.

Before Timaeus could ask him what he meant, Yugi's hand subconsciously pulled free, and he pulled himself back to the edge and leaned over. Timaeus gasped and reached for him but Yugi pulled back and skipped away before Timaeus could catch him.

"Yugi?" he called, his voice catching in his throat.

Leaning over the edge, Yugi watched the waters churn in tiny ripples under the rain like thousands of tiny glass mirrors shattering at once. He pulled away and hurried down the steps, and threw back his wet hair, scattering raindrops. It hung wet and heavy and clung to his neck and forehead in loose, wild strands, and he loved the feel of it against his skin. His face rose to greet the rain and he spun it a circle. It felt soft and warm like his mother's kisses on his cheeks. His giggled childishly, spread his arms and spun in a wide circle.

"Yugi!" Timaeus rushed down the steps after him, but Yugi either didn't hear him or chose not to. The giggling boy spun faster and then took off running, eyes bright and wide with childish wonder and laughing uncontrollably.

Timaeus gawked and quickly undid the mantle around his shoulders and began to fasten it as he ran. "At least wear a hood!" he called, but his voice was lost in the rain and Yugi's whimsy laughter. "You'll take a chill!"

Yugi's only response was a mirthful fit of laughter. He burst across the deck, weaving through sailors securing huge empty barrels to the ship's side with thick ropes. One struggled and Yugi stopped to help tie the knot, and the man nodded in thanks. Yugi danced away, careful to avoid the other men in his quest to catch raindrops. When his heavy hair flopped in front of his face, he stopped and tossed it back like a veil. Running his hands through it and shaking out the messy mop, scattering raindrops as he went. The silks clung to his skin wetly and he spun a few more times to shake them out, but it did little good when the rain fell in harder, in wet, warm, and diagonal streaks. Yugi hurried and the rain rushed to catch him. The men simply laughed or smiled, admiring their Trierarch's curious consort.

When said Trierarch burst through the crowd out of breath and eyes hard, the men simply bowed, smiling, and pointed in the direction of his wayward wife. Timaeus took off again, but not before barking for double knots and ties at the top and bottom. "I don't want to lose a single drop," he ordered, harsh and heavy despite his breathless voice, and took off again.

The men were already finished and preparing to go down below by the time Timaeus stopped to catch his breath, searching frantically for his missing lover. Otogi gestured a thumb towards the front of the ship, before disappearing into the infirmary for fresh bandages. Timaeus understood when he caught a flash of cloth slapping wetly on the aft deck just above him, and quickly climbed the steps.

Yugi stopped at the top forecastle, in the heart of the storm, and watched the sky change and the sea turn. The pounding rain, soft and urging as his mother's kisses, clicked and chimed in the symphony of pittering bells. In the distance, thunder growled low and faint, relaxed like a proud father lion. The wind, wild and blasting, was like an invisible dance partner catching his moves and almost daring him to stop. The sun peeked through the clouds overhead, and for an instant, the night was noonday bright. His stage illuminated and his audience cheering, Yugi closed his eyes and danced.

His was a chaotic dance: wild and unpracticed, with no hint of order or rhythm. Yet he'd never felt more graceful. More alive. More free.

Wrists crossed and hands fanned above his head, his hips swayed in lopsided circles. He spun. His feet leaped in the air and slapped the wood floor with a wet smack. A jump, then a spin. His arms spread wide and he spun in a circle, then he fell back like he was about to swoon and doubled into an almost backwards roll, and burst into wild laughter.

Vaguely, he wondered if this was how the ibises felt when they took to wing. If they felt so weightless and unbound. Then he wondered what it would be like to have wings. He laughed at the idea of being weighed down by a ruffled bunch of feathers.

He danced again, spinning and laughing in the rain like a carefree child free of restrictions and the binds of titles and privileges, and that was how Timaeus found him.

For a full moment, Timaeus has forgotten all but how to breathe and his breath was a rare and awed gasp of surprise. Rain pounded Yugi's body and his hair and clothes stuck to his skin, making him look ragged and wild and beautifully untamable. The wind pillowed the silks of his skirts about him like dancing wings, making him look ethereal and angelic in Timaeus' eyes.

He watched him, spellbound—unable to speak and unable to move, lest he disturb the magnificent sight before him. Sometimes during the dance, Yugi had his eyes closed and still, he continued to dance. His arms swayed and his back bent forward in a perfect bow then sprang back in an arch that transformed into a backwards spin. A breath caught in Timaeus' throat and stayed there. He knew of Yugi's past as a dancer in the temples, but never had he witnessed it for himself.

He grabbed the railing with a shaking hand. Perhaps it was a good thing he had. He watched Yugi stop and puff his chest forward with a loud release of breath. Timaeus felt a surge of desire rush through him. Yugi's arms stayed open like he was waiting for his lover. When he moaned suddenly, he could bear it no longer and Timaeus dashed forward and captured him in his arms and his lips in a kiss.

It was a soft kiss, barely more than a breath, but it stole all the air from Yugi's body. He relaxed, moaning into the kiss, even as his body collapsed under the intensity of it. His mind clouded and was lost, like he was drowning but had no desire to swim. Strong, calloused hands gripped him gently and stroked his skin, sending tiny jolts of pleasure through him, amplified by the cold wetness of his body.

A moan that desperately wanted to escape tore itself from him and the kiss broke.

Yugi's eyes slowly opened, identifying only vague shapes and unclear shadows. Then colors started to appear, shapes started to solidify, and he recognized the familiar bright green emerald and its solid, pearlescent twin. When the image completely cleared, he saw Timaeus: his eyes ablaze, his chest heaving in heavy, open-mouthed gasps, and his usually-relaxed face wild and beaming with desire.

Desire for _him._

"Timaeus…" Yugi breathed, eyes half-lidded and veiled with lust. "You're soaked."

Timaeus gasped loudly, hoping the loud, deep gulps of air would unfrazzle his senses, but it did little to clear his mind. Yugi's ambrosia taste lingered on his lips and he licked them clean, hoping to capture every last drop, but it was hollow compared to the memory of those lips. That sweet, mellifluous taste like wine and honeyed nectar from the Gods. Yugi's skin tingled under his fingers, slick and wet and dripping and waiting to be devoured. He licked his lips and rubbed circles along Yugi's hips, mouth curling into a smile when Yugi moaned and shivered.

"T-Tim—Timaeus?" Yugi squeaked out, his clouded mind determined to speak before all coherency abandoned him. "Can you… take me back to our room?"

Timaeus froze, the cloudy haze of lust clearing and stared at Yugi. He met Yugi's eyes sharply. "Are you sure?" he asked, managing to sound severe and starved at once, but insistent that the younger understand just _what_ he was asking.

Yugi met his gaze, and the events of the day flashed before his eyes like a tapestry of time: the words, the promises, the gestures, the true, earnest instance and the promise of celibacy if only he wished it. Smiling softly, Yugi kissed him again, stealing the last of his breath.

"Yes." He nodded, and there was no more need for words.

A wide, curled smirk split Timaeus' face. He pounced like a tiger and scooped his lover into his arms. Yugi shrieked with delight, and wrapped his arms around his husband's neck.

"In that case," Timaeus rasped, husky and hungry and started a quick pace back towards their rooms. "Let's get you out of these wet things."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the show...heads up from now on there is gonna be a LOT of knightshipping as I FINALLY plan on giving Yugi and Timaeus time to develop their relationship in every sense of the word...and its gonna be FUN!
> 
> If you liked this just wait until we get to Locri ;)
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions, go nuts and have fun!
> 
> NEXT TIME: The next step is taken and a new depth is reached in the ever growing relationship between the Knight and his Prince.
> 
> NEXT TIME: SEPTEMBER 24th (for real this time)


	48. Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next step is taken and a new depth is reached in the ever growing relationship between the Knight and his Prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lateness! To make up for it I have three new chapters posted! Also updates will return to their biweekly update schedule from now until Part 2 is complete.
> 
> Disclaimer: you know the drill.
> 
> as always read, review, critique comment ask questions to nuts and have fun!
> 
> theme song: This Love by Taylor Swift

_Chapter XLVIII: Touch_

Wet clothes formed a lascivious path to the bed where two slender bodies laid naked and intertwined. The magnificent mattress welcomed their weight and they sank into its loving embrace. The sheets were casually ripped away but the comforter concealed all but their torsos from uninvited eyes. The only sounds were the occasional creak of stretched wood, the rustle of sheets, and a symphony of tiny, ecstatic giggles and deep, guttural moans.

"Hmm—ah!" Yugi's moan morphed into a high-pitched giggle. He felt Timaeus smirk against his skin and covered his mouth when the other teased the spot he'd just kissed with tiny licks and playful nips. Both hands covering his lips, he giggled under the furry of tiny kisses littering his chest until he could bear it no longer and shrieked with laughter.

Timaeus pulled away, smirking and eyes ablaze. He braced himself on his elbows and surveyed his work: Yugi's chest heaved in tiny, frantic pants, peppered with tiny red marks, and looked quite delectable dressed in nothing but shiny wet kisses. Lotus-blue eyes were half-lidded and clouded with lust, shadowing them to a sparkling impish indigo that reminded him of amethysts. Those soft, flower-petal lips opened slightly to breathe, and tempted him with a teasing lick of that soft pink tongue. He cocked his head slightly like a curious bird, but also exposed the tender flesh of his throat.

Timaeus shivered with a hungry, guttural growl and licked his lips. With Yugi's lips curled and cheeks smirking, eyes bright and sinfully beaming, and that oh-so-tempting tongue… It made Timaeus want to abandon all caution and pounce and devour the delectable little spriteling sprawled beneath him completely. He knew Yugi could not resist him if he did.

If anything, the little sprite was _baiting_ him.

Yugi caught him staring, and purposely lowered his eyelids and tilted his head too far right, then left—examining him like a curious bird and exposing the oh-so-tender flesh of his throat: like Timaeus was the patient, clever fox and Yugi was the bird waiting to be eaten. He blinked his eyes, purposely slow—batting the thickest, prettiest lashes Timaeus had ever kissed. _Could he be more obvious?_

Timaeus' response was a greedy chuckle that showed teeth. _Manipulative little imp's a damn tease._ Never before had he felt such need for another person.

"Ah…"

Never had his heart pounded as hard as it did when he heard Yugi moan. Never had his skin burned whenever it brushed against Yugi's. Never had his blood boiled with such fierce, wild abandon as it did when he looked down at Yugi's flushed, panting face. He felt wild and powerful, uncontrollable—like a single sound or gentle touch and he would shatter and release the beast he kept so discretely caged within. Knowing Yugi, however, that was _exactly_ what the imp wanted.

He _had_ been doing just that since their rainy, wet kiss. Since that delicious, monosyllable left Yugi's lips, every tilt of his chin, every wink of his eyes, every casual stroke of his fingers had been a cleverly planned seduction—a game of who would break first. A game Timaeus was all too eager to play and had proved it so by lifting the devious little sprite into his arms and all but sprinted back to the confined safety of the staterooms.

The moment the doors closed, the game had begun, and Yugi wasted no time undoing the lacings of his bodice, eyes half-lidded and shadowed with lecherous ambitions. Timaeus played along, his own free hand going to the clasp around his throat and undid it with a click that sent his mantle pooling behind him in mid-step, and then went to the lacings of his own jerkin. But his gaze was on Yugi's talented fingers sensually undoing the lacings behind his back and slipping the silk from his shoulders.

The silk dropped to the ground with a soft wisp.

With lustrous eyes and a teasing half-smile, Yugi had swayed his hips seductively and set to work on the waist, undoing the belt and—tantalizingly slow—slid the skirt, tights, and small clothes off his hips. Inch by inch, he revealed the soft, honey-milk curves of his waist, hips, and thighs, and finally his shaft until the garments dropped to a puddle at his feet. He'd stepped out of them, unabashed and invulnerable.

Timaeus was unashamed to admit Yugi had almost won, but he'd glimpsed at Yugi's naked flesh before, and though those long, creamy legs and the cat-like way he walked nearly broke him, he'd undone the last of his lacings and slipped the under-armor slowly off his arms. Then down his chest and off his hips until it pooled at his feet, revealing his own golden flesh in all its war-torn perfection: pale sun-kissed skin littered with a valley of scars. To Yugi's dismay, however, Timaeus had purposely left on his small clothes. Tauntingly, Timaeus had asked Yugi what he'd wanted but the other had remained stubbornly silent.

Then Timaeus played his trump card.

He took his strong hand and ran it down his hip, stopping at the waist of the garment and slowly—oh-so- _torturously_ slowly—pulled the hem down, exposing only the skin of his left hip. Yugi could stand it no more and pounced, _demanding_ Timaeus kiss him. The elder was all too pleased to grant the request, but not before lifting Yugi into his arms and pinning him to their bed.

Gazing down at his little one now, face flushed and pleading— _demanding—_ his attention, Timaeus grinned.

Yugi's arms, limp and level with his head, were bare save for the wedding bracelet encircling his wrist in gold and purple flowers that seemed to sparkle with their own mischievous plots. The sight of it sent a jolt of possessive pride through his bones. The fact that that was _his_ _shabka_ Yugi wore— _his_ marriage token, _his_ symbol of undying love and unity that encircled Yugi's wrist—set a fire burning in his blood, so hot and unquenchable that he thought he'd burst into flames if he didn't have Yugi's kisses to quell them. Yugi was _his_ , he realized with a smirk. _Truly his._ No one else would see him like this. No one else would kiss those petal-soft lips, taste the sweet nectar of his mouth, and stroke that honey-milk skin that mimicked silk beneath his fingers, or hear all the delectable little sounds he made.

No one else was _permitted_ to see Yugi like this.

Just as the ferocious, hungry beast he felt slipping through the cracks of his will like hot blood through armor was for Yugi's eyes alone, that part of himself belonged only to Yugi, Timaeus decided, and solidified the decision with another fierce kiss.

His hands slid up Yugi's chest and arms and then finally intertwined lovingly with his fingers, but successfully pinning Yugi's hands to the bed. The younger must've discovered the strategy because he gasped into the kiss and started wiggling his slender hips and torso, but his arms stayed in their place, trapped under the weight of Timaeus' corded muscles. Timaeus ended the kiss too early, and pulled away with a smirk. Yugi pouted with a groan, the lines of his eyes furrowing to a slanted V, and yanked on his arms with a growl of cupidity.

Timaeus' only response was a boisterous laugh. "What's the matter, sweetling?" He released Yugi's arms to rest his chin on his hands and plopped his lower half on top of Yugi's. The boy's growl morphed into some rancorous hybrid of a lusty groan and a needy whine.

Timaeus shifted and leaned his chin on one hand, the free appendage tracing spidery patterns around the curve of Yugi's naked, trembling hip. "Don't you like what I'm doing?" He cocked his head, voice dripping with mock hurt, and shifted his hips. Their lower halves brushed together—his clothed hips against Yugi's naked flesh.

Yugi shivered in impatience and want, but his voice was a chorus of deep, ragged breaths. Timaeus smirked again. He couldn't care less who heard them, and who no doubt would. Yugi was by no means a quiet creature, and Timaeus intended to see just _what_ kind of sounds he could get his little lover to make.

He considered removing the small cloth for a moment; the tight material did nothing to conceal his passion and the material brushing his heated skin was causing so much friction that his skin _burned_. But it would've meant pulling away from Yugi. It would've meant spending— _wasting—_ precious seconds pressed against Yugi's warm, naked flesh. Seconds he had not the time, nor patience, to waste. And of course, it sent Yugi into an apoplexy when he snaked his hands teasingly around the other's waist and, instead of heated skin and man's flesh, he felt only rough, tight cloth—the best parts of his lover still kept preciously secret. It was the imp's own fault though, Timaeus chuckled. He'd played his trump card too early.

"Timaeus…" Yugi whined when Timaeus closed his eyes. A pleading edge crept into his voice. The elder's eyes popped open and examined his pout. Timaeus chuckled. "Yes?"

Yugi smirked, and snaked his arms around the elder's torso and pulled him close. Close enough that his warm breath brushed across Timaeus' cheek. "Kiss me," Yugi ordered softly, eyes glimmering like twin pools of dark water.

Timaeus' eyes slanted and he leaned forward just enough to press his lips to Yugi's: a soft, chaste kiss—ghost-like and feather-textured—not so much intense as it was intoxicating. The moment Yugi felt those warm lips on his own, they parted obediently and tasted the other in his mouth. His eyes clouded and his mind fogged. His shaking arms clenched the elder for support and his body gave way, limp and suddenly weightless like all his bones had turned to water and he'd forgotten everything but how to breathe.

He did not register being laid down until his back sank into the mattress, nor did he feel Timaeus on top of him, until a blanket of warmth enveloped his skin. The kiss was but a brief moment that lasted for eons, and when Timaeus pulled away, Yugi whimpered. When his senses cleared, he found the other on top of him and his wrists trapped above his head in Timaeus' strong hand. His _shabka_ bracelet gave a twinkling click when it moved and their fingers laced lovingly together.

Timaeus seized the opportunity to kiss his throat and Yugi squirmed under the gentle treatment. His nails sank into Timaeus' hands, creating crescent shapes, but the pain sent a spike of desire up Timaeus' spine.

"Timaeus," Yugi whimpered, squirming. He rubbed his face in Timaeus' soft hair and inhaled deeply. His scent reminded Yugi of the desert after a heavy rain: sharp and musky like wet sand, warm air, and with a hint of spices. He looked the other up and down, examining the beautiful, powerful body and yanked hard at his wrists, wanting to explore. "Please…"

His need for Timaeus had become a physical one like breathing or dancing. Blessedly, Timaeus understood and released his wrists to settle his hands on Yugi's hips and set to work kissing and marking the skin there. Yugi wasted no time. Hands explored, converting to memory the map of scars and hills of pulsating muscles. Emboldened by the freedom, Yugi raked his nails over the Trierarch's chest, earning a beastly sound between a growl and purr as his reward.

Deciding he liked Yugi's sudden boldness, Timaeus allowed his hands to rove lower, enjoying the way Yugi's skin trembled under his hands. Yugi wanted him—that was evident—but Timaeus didn't want to move too quickly. Bold as he was being now, Timaeus knew well the idea of taking that final step—becoming one with another person was still a daunting prospect for Yugi, if not terrifying. Curiously, though, he wondered, how far Yugi would let him go, how much he was allowed to touch.

Curious and hungry, his fingers wandered lower. Down to the soft, silky junction between Yugi's thighs and pelvis, teasing the skin there, brushing the semi-erect member, and ghosting over the puckered hole that called Timaeus to own.

Yugi gasped and his eyes flew open, wide with uncertainty. His entire body became alert, like it had suddenly been doused by cold water. He flinched visibly when the hand at his lower back traveled lower, and shivered nervously when it cupped his bottom.

Timaeus' acts of wooing stopped immediately. "As much as I enjoy your boldness," he commented, managing to sound stern and starved at once. He whispered, "Do not be brave if you're still uncertain."

His smile was an unbreakable vow and in his eyes was all the honesty of the world, but there was also a twinge of sadness that nearly cleaved Yugi's heart to pieces. He threw his arms around Timaeus' shoulders and clung to him tightly. "I'm sorry." His voice was choked with tears and pleasure. "I do want you." He clenched the man assuringly. "I _do_ … I just…"

A soft kiss pressed against Yugi's temple lovingly. Yugi blinked, surprised, but Timaeus only smiled. "You are uncertain. I understand," Timaeus spoke for him. His words were more than a promise. "If you are not ready, there is nothing wrong with waiting. I could wait forever."

And Yugi knew that Timaeus would. He'd already proven himself a man of incredible patience—especially when it came to Yugi. His heart nearly burst from relief and broke from realization. Timaeus could and _would_ wait, but he shouldn't have had to—and Yugi didn't want him to. Every step, every kiss, every intimate act they'd taken until that point had only been a sample, a taste of what Timaeus had promised him from the very beginning, had he only the courage to accept it—to open his heart as well as his body and truly accept the other's mind, body, and soul. As terrifying a prospect as that was, Yugi wanted that, he _knew_ he wanted that—wanted Timaeus—in every way a wife wanted her husband. Yet as those kisses and touches set his blood on fire and left his heart singing, there was still that lingering, unnamable fear that doused the flames of desirej and sent ice through his veins.

He didn't understand it. He couldn't name it. But he wanted nothing more than for it to vanish and set him free.

"Timaeus—" He tried to speak, but the weight of everything and the overwhelming relief of it suddenly left him dizzy and drowsy.

"Shhh," Timaeus hushed. Oh, that deep sultry baritone was so soothing to his ears. _So soothing_ … Yugi thought, blissfully dreamy. Suddenly his eyes were droopy, and his body felt so heavy. He mumbled something incoherent and fell consumed by a warm, familiar darkness.

Timaeus opened his eyes, not recalling when he'd closed them, and listened to the shallow, steady breathing of his lover. "Whatever you decide, I'll—"

Yugi collapsed against him, limp and heavy in his arms. A soft snore confirmed Yugi had innocently drifted into a sound peaceful sleep.

Timaeus gaped open-mouthed in shock. Then he barked out a short snort of laughter. "What am I to do with you?" he asked his sleeping lover in an amused, gruff voice.

Gently, he laid his naked lover down on the bed and tucked the furs over the soft, supple shoulders. He brushed the loose strands from Yugi's sleeping face with a feather-soft wisp of his fingers. His finger traced a smooth line down Yugi's cheek. It was soft and warm under Timaeus' fingers, like honey silk and cotton fuzz. His fingers trailed and settled on the sweet, subtle curve of Yugi's lips, like lotus blossoms. Gods above, Yugi was beautiful. Everything about Yugi was beautiful and soft and sweet.

 _Deliciously sweet_. Timaeus licked his lips, still tasting his skin on his lips. The sweetness of his lips. It made him want more— _craved_ it like a drowning man craved air.

With a growl, he forced himself to pull away. Breath expelled in a sharp, panting curse, followed by shallow intakes and deep, loud exhales that did little to calm his raging senses. Quickly, he kicked off the sheets and hoisted himself up. Sitting, he rubbed the sweat from his face and slapped his cheeks. When that did nothing, he jogged to the privy and splashed the cool waters over his heated skin. Wetness dampened his ears and neck and scattered raindrops down his chest and back. The action had been meant to cool his overheated skin the same way the sudden rush of cold, crisp water was meant to awaken his mind and calm his frazzled senses.

Both techniques were only half-effective.

Taking loud, rhythmic breaths, Timaeus braced himself against the scuttlebutt, stealing a sideways glace at Yugi's peaceful, slumbering face. It was not long, but it was enough. He collapsed against the barrel, retrieved a bucket, plunged it deep into the water and upended it over his whole body. The galvanizing reaction it brought was a welcome jolt, like suddenly awakening from a long, deep sleep. He shook his head and brushed wetness from his face and combed the damp bangs back with his fingers.

Exhaling a final sigh of relief, he retrieved a cloth from the wall and dried himself.

"Gods be good," he breathed, still heaving.

Never with any of his other lovers had he been so tempted. Never had the desire to take and bend and make love to another been so strong and almost unquenchable. Not even that first time when his hormones raged and threatened to consume him completely. It was unsettling, this unquenchable, unbearable, unbreathable heat—like he was drowning in scalding-hot water and yet he had no desire to breathe. As a man who prided himself on his emotional control, the sudden all-consuming surge of instinct shocked him, but not nearly as much his desire had. That overwhelming urge to kiss his lover awake, tease him senseless until he was moaning, writhing, and begging Timaeus for more. To pound him into the mattress and thrust the shyness from him and do so again and again and again, until the only broken syllable his deliciously ruined, frazzled mind could remember, let alone speak, was "Timaeus!"

Timaeus couldn't help but chuckle. "We'll never survive until our wedding night at this rate," he laughed, hand covering his face. Retrieving his clothes from the floor, he grimaced, finding them still wet, and tossed them in the privy. He settled on a looser equivalent of his under-armor and a fresh pair of small clothes.

Once dressed, he found himself staring at his slumbering bride. Cute, round face pulled into a dreaming, peaceful smile that played across his lips with such childish sweetness, Timaeus thought his heart would burst.

He slid next to him and gently played with Yugi's bangs. Chest fluttering when Yugi snuggled into his touch with a sleepy moan.

Yugi was so beautiful.

Everything Yugi did, everything Yugi was… "Tempted" wasn't the right word, Timaeus thought. More like "delighted"? "Excited"? Whatever it was left him in a near-catatonic state of bliss. He would do anything to keep Yugi smiling and looking at him so lovingly. It was an experience Timaeus had never encountered, but one that made him feel just… happy. It was the only word that could describe it. No, Timaeus decided, stroking Yugi's soft gold and black tresses once more. "Tempted" was not the right word. He didn't care what it was so long as this sweet child's heart was his. Now if only his body would relent…

Timaeus has no desire to break his word—he'd taken the oath, but that had left a hole in the bond between them that needed to be filled, lest it unsettle Yugi further. Yugi was not shy, but he was timid when it came to _true_ intimacy. Timaeus could not hold that against him. Virile as Yugi was, he was still young and clearly, the idea of giving himself so completely to another person—let alone someone like himself—still frightened him.

Let alone the act of the intimacy itself.

Yugi would need a gentle awakening, he decided confidently. A short one, no doubt, but a gentle one nonetheless. Yugi was already comfortable enough to fall asleep and wake in his arms, and neither had he any quarrels with Timaeus' constant kisses and intimate touches nor was the wily minx above initiating such acts himself. No, it seemed to be just the act of penetration that left him startled and unhinged.

Well, they would work on that together. After all, Timaeus thought with a grin, Locri was still only a day or two away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Queen sips her wine and a butterfly lands on her glass) Long live the Queen! I'm back baby!
> 
> Lots of heat this chapter: which is why it was so difficult to write but it was totally worth it!
> 
> I know everyone was expecting a lemon but I hope you were satisfied with the lots and lots of citrius and emotional moments instead. I never intended the lemon to be at this moment more like this is the moment where it's very very clear there is something THERE. Like not just the physical or not just the emotional something is actually, completely there...and now they need to start building it, in their particular case possibly from scratch. For me it's better that way. The emotional is the easy part despite popular belief (and modern media) when it comes down to it and you really love someone than taking a PHYSICAL next step is freaking terrifying! We've all been in Yugi's shoes and Timaeus' as well and I personally love having them in ther situation where they're trying to bridge the gap between the emotional and the physical and the process it takes...but like Tim said Locri is coming and then things will start to beat up ;)
> 
> this is actually part one of two so stayed tunes for part 2 next week.
> 
> NEXT TIME: The aftermath of the night before yields some mutually uncomfortable revelations and delights.


	49. Zeal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the night before yields some mutually uncomfortable revelations and delights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually part 2 of the last chapter that I felt had a much better impact as its own chapter. Hope you all enjoy ;)
> 
> Disclaimer: You know the drill. Own nothing but the plot.
> 
> Dedications: To my readers and reviewers! Thank you all so much! You keep me going and encourage me to kick my own lazy butt into high gear.

_Chapter XLIX: Zeal_

The next morning, Yugi woke to clear skies and the rising sun. The sun had dismantled last night's rain, leaving only a clear, crisp, uninterrupted blue and the promise of a sweet day.

A lazy arm stretched to block the flares of lemon light streaming through the curtains. Where was he? He couldn't remember. He felt strongly nostalgic, but there was something else—a strange weight inside his chest. Not so much a pain or an ache, but something odd and lingering, more an uncertainty than an annoyance.

"What was I doing before I fell asleep?" he wondered in a drowsy voice, rubbing sleep from his eyes. What hour was it? He shifted under the sheets and a cool breeze reminded him he was naked.

Last night's memories surfaced like a distant dream. He sprang up, startled by the realization. What had happened the night before? It was the question that sent his heart palpitating. He blushed when the furs pooled around his hips, exposing his nudity. Frantically, he pulled at the covers, hoping to hide them but found he could not. Slowly, unwillingly, he looked down at his naked hips. He blushed redder. Dear Ra, there were _bruises_ where Timaeus had kissed him? Timaeus' fingerprints branding him, marking him, strategically-placed where only _he_ could see.

"Timaeus!" Yugi finally called out in a shrill shriek. Where was Timaeus? Had he—did they? Had they…?

"Hnnngghh," came the low, muffled groan.

Slowly, Yugi became aware of the weight tugging on his sheets, and the familiar spidery touches gently clasping his hips, and the warm, gentle brush of soft skin and coarse hair against the small of his back.

Yugi spun over—and found Timaeus curled at his side, lightly snoring and his cheeks snuggled against Yugi's hip, slumbering innocently and ignorant of the obvious distress he caused his younger lover. Briefly stupefied, Yugi's jaw dropped, his red face crimsoning further and unsure if he should laugh or scream. Sensing a giggle rising in his throat, he covered his mouth to smother it. A snort escaped him. If Timaeus noticed it, he gave no indication of it.

Lying back on his side, he studied the sleeping profile: the relaxed brows, the soft cheeks, the sweet, dreaming smile of his lips, and Yugi could only smile. He'd almost forgotten how peaceful Timaeus looked when he slept, like a child in the warm embrace of his mother. His eyes fell on those thin, strong lips, smiling so gently, and wondered what it would be like to kiss them, and he found himself acting on that desire. It was a chaste kiss: quick and feather-soft and yet he saw Timaeus' sleeping smile curl wider in his sleep and felt his hands slipping around his waist and pulling him into a tight embrace, mumbling.

"Hmmm, my Yugi… _agape mou_ … _joon-am_ … _jăné del-am_ … _glykia mou_ … _ătashé del-am_ … mine… mine… mine…" he muttered, a cacophonous combination of hard, rough sounds and sweet, soothing lulls laced with adoring love and possessive lust. All words in a language Yugi did not recognize, but wondered if in his subliminal state, Timaeus' had slipped into his native tongue. Yugi shuddered when his hard, heated skin brushed over his naked hips and chest—brushing, tasting, teasing even in his sleep.

His shivered, his body trembling with delight and eyes glittering with lust. How easy, he wondered, would it be to wake him and continue what they'd begun the night before? Did he want to?

Yugi already knew the answer. And it terrified him as much as it exhilarated him.

Tiny lights flickered over the sea, signaling the dawn, and Yugi knew it would be rising soon.

"T-Timaeus…" He pushed the unconscious man away easily, but not without reluctance. "Wake up." He shook his shoulders firmly. Still no answer. "It's dawning. You have to wake up."

The man's groan morphed into a growl and he rolled over. He must be tired, Yugi concluded. The man never slept past dawn. Yugi almost felt guilty for wanting to wake him—but then last night's memories resurfaced and a blush of uncertainty turned his whole body crimson.

"Wake up, you lazy old man!" Yugi snapped louder, shoving at his back, but Timaeus was stronger and slept like a boulder wedged in a ravine. With a loud, animalistic sound, Timaeus rolled over. Yugi plopped face first on the bed.

"Lazy bastard." He swore an oath of frustration. Then a thought struck him. His smile curled into a smirk. Carefully, he crawled over his lover and gently nudged his right shoulder. His smile widened when the man groaned again and rolled onto his back. Taking advantage of the new position, Yugi braced himself over his husband and crushed their lips together.

Timaeus' eyes snapped open. Galvanized awake, magnesium thundered through his blood like an electric current. The beast hidden within him raged and screamed to be released to devour Yugi. Timaeus gripped Yugi's hips and tied to shove him away, but Yugi expected such resistance and so threw all his weight against the man's chest, forcing him down and pinning him on his back. Yugi straddled his thigh and cupped Timaeus' face to deepen the kiss.

Caught unaware, Timaeus gave a gasp of surprise, which Yugi took full advantage of and soon, Yugi's tongue was in his mouth. Yugi's ambrosia taste was intoxicating and addicting and left his mind spinning. He tasted like fire: the reinvigorating warmth, and sharp, spicy heat, and the tender sweetness that reminded him of pomegranates. His hands settled on Yugi's hips and he moved to return the kiss—and was surprised again when Yugi pulled away and settled on the end of the bed, naked and smirking.

"Are you awake now, you lazy boy?" came the coquettish tease, underscored by the bird-like cock of his head.

With a roughish shudder, Timaeus grinned. "I am." His voice was grated and rough from sleep and last night's lust. "That was quite a delightful way to wake up." He closed his eyes and paused deliberately. "Now then…" His eyes sharpened and a tight, curled smile split his face. "Where in God's name did you learn to kiss a man like that, my so-claimed little virgin?" His voice was a single, dangerously low breath, all huskiness and desire.

Yugi's only response was a spirited grin. With a coquettish flick of his hips and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he hopped off the bed and laughed. "I _am_ a virgin, but I never said I was prudent…" he finished with a saucy wink.

Timaeus' eyes were blazing emerald and flickering pearl, like fire trapped in gemstones. The beast inside Timaeus saw it and growled like a hungry tiger all too impatient to pounce. "Careful, Yugi…" Timaeus he warned stiffly. His face scrunched in a pinched frown and there was a barely-controlled twitch above his left eye. "Before I can no longer control myself."

Yugi stared at him with a mixture of confusion and almost agitation. "What are you talking about?" Yugi demanded, slightly annoyed. Hadn't they already moved past this?

The twitch above Timaeus' blank eye became obvious. "Damn!" He unfolded himself and stood, his voice gruff and all breath.

"I _know_ you're not playing coy…" he mumbled more to himself.

Yugi stared at him, perplexed and slightly annoyed. "What?" he half-demanded.

Timaeus' eyes twitched again and he wrung his fingers. "Little one," he said, voice strained and choked with impatience. His eyes locked dead on Yugi's blazing ones with the barely-controlled hunger of a lion in heat. "Do you not remember what happened the night previous?"

The prince blushed, but kept his frown. "I do." He asked in an obvious tone to continue.

Timaeus looked like he wanted to scream. "Then you remember, of course, how you fell asleep while I was in the middle of pleasuring you?" Timaeus was over him now, eyes blazing and his voice was a barely-restrained rasp. "And do you," he continued in the same gruff, pinched voice, "understand how _difficult_ it is for a man to restrain himself when doing such things with his lover?" A deliberate pause, letting the information sink. Then he punctured each word with a sentence. "Very. _Very._ _ **Difficult**_ _._ "

It struck Yugi like fireworks: sudden and all at once. His face suffused with color and all irritation vanished from his face, replaced with mortified understanding.

Timaeus pulled away and expelled an exasperated sigh. " _Please_ don't make me explain it."

Yugi shook his head frantically. "I understand!" he said quickly.

"Thank heavens for that." Timaeus sighed in relief and removed himself from the bed. He reached for the wardrobe, but Yugi snatched his wrist and pushed his weight against the other's strong muscular frame.

"What if I don't want you to?" Yugi whispered huskily.

"Yugi…" Timaeus warned, drawing out the name in two long syllables. His voice was rough and dangerously low, but the undertone was laced with lust.

Yugi met his eyes with a leering smirk. There was a kind of beast in there that wanted to come out, and was furious that it wasn't allowed to. Feeling playful, Yugi's talented fingers curled intricate circuits over the broad chest, connecting patterns of scars with feather-soft touches. Timaeus growled and Yugi grinned again, and kissed the scars, tasting the delicious salty skin like caramel on his tongue. Timaeus opened his mouth and what came out was the most delicious combination of sounds that Yugi had ever heard. Despite the confidence in his teasing, his heart was palpitating with a wild, bewildering passion. Throwing his weight against Timaeus, he pressed the man's back against the bed, and smirked victoriously when he moaned in surrender—

— and cried out when Timaeus absorbed a sudden strength and flipped them over, tossing Yugi onto the mattress with Timaeus' hands pinned on either side of him. Suddenly, the man was above him; a possessive fire blazed in his eyes and smirk like a wolf that hadn't eaten in days, and Yugi was his next meal. Yugi shivered, realizing his mistake, and shuffled backwards, falling off the bed and rising quickly. Timaeus was on him, licking his lips—the beast inside him alive and ready to devour Yugi whole. He took a step towards him, but Yugi's retreat matched his step for step.

Only when his back hit the wall did he remember that he was still naked and, if he ever removed those small clothes, so would be Timaeus. Out the corner of his eye, Yugi saw his shift and made a grab for it, but Timaeus smacked his hand away and gently pinned the wrist to the wall. He caught Yugi's free hand and gently placed it level with his head, fingers weaving lovingly with Yugi's. He pressed his body against his and Yugi whimpered when he felt his scorching erection press between his thighs, burning even through the thin cloth of his small clothes. Yugi met his eyes, face stern despite his suddenly-pounding heart.

Timaeus' smirk did not fade.

"How brash of you to think that you could touch me so and I would not retaliate…" Timaeus whispered, low and sweet. His words were more than a promise.

His thumb rubbed massaging circles around the bone of his wrists. Yugi's skin tingled under the touch like thousands of soft feathers tickling him with tiny bursts. So gentle, yet the sensation was so strong and inviting. Then Timaeus lowered his face, passing Yugi's lips, teasing, tasting the soft skin of his collar with kisses as gentle as bird wings.

Yugi willed himself not to moan, but his treacherous body betrayed him and he heaved a sigh of pleasure. He felt Timaeus smirk against his skin, and the tender, loving way his fingers curled around Yugi's own, and the gentle way he held him still. Just a little bit of strength and Yugi would be free—if he wanted to be. A gentle kiss pressed against his heart, more passionate than the others. Yugi craned his neck up to moan. He barely felt it when Timaeus let go of his wrists.

"W-W-Wait, what are you—" he moaned the frantic shriek, then shivered when the hand at his hip curled around his thigh.

"So sensitive, my sweeting," Timaeus barked out a pearl of laughter. His hands were on either side of Yugi's hips, teasing his naked, quivering thighs with soft, stroking fingers.

Yugi's body twitched and shivered independent of his will: hips rising, knees wobbling, legs quaking, thighs parting welcoming and vulnerable. It would've been so easy for Timaeus to press his strong body harder against Yugi's soft and pale one. So easy for Yugi to spread his knees and let Timaeus' strong hands lift his hips and slip between them. So easy for him to undo his lacings, pull himself free, and hold his moaning, trembling lover and slip inside him. And it would've been so easy for Yugi to adjust his hips and sink into his body with his arms wrapped around Timaeus' neck and tighten his quivering thighs around his hips and have Timaeus make love to him.

So simple...

"It makes me long for when our bond becomes more than chaste kisses," Timaeus whispered huskily.

Yugi remembered himself and, unwilling to surrender the game just yet, shoved him away. It was a push of little strength but Timaeus released him anyway.

Yugi tried to smirk despite the huff in his voice. "D-Don't think having my virginity means I'm easily won!" he said boldly.

Timaeus chuckled then leaned over him, still smirking. "If that was all I wanted, I'd have had you in my bed long ago, he said, brave and bold with all the casual ease of someone well-practiced in such arts. "But it is not just your body I want." He leaned closer and held Yugi's chin with a firm hand. His kiss barely brushed Yugi's lips, then rested on Yugi's forehead. "I want your mind…" He trailed a finger down Yugi's chest, resting just above his stomach. "Your body…" The hand traveled upward, slender fingers caressing up and then carefully circling the skin above Yugi's heart. "And soul." He solidified the promise by kissing the skin there.

When he pulled away, he was still smirking but his eyes were loving. "I'm already two-thirds of the way there." Then he kissed him.

It was sweet and promising and with a possessive taste to it, but not ungentle. Yugi parted his lips to return it, but Timaeus pulled away from him smiling, hovering so close Yugi could feel his warm breath on his face. He understood at once what the gesture meant, and made his decision. Clenching the front of Timaeus' shoulders, he pulled him down and kissed him hard on the lips, putting up no resistance when the other's tongue parted his. Dear Ra, if this was what it felt like to surrender then Yugi would submit willingly to all that his husband promised.

But he wasn't ready to end the game just yet. Quickly, Yugi pulled away and swiped his shift off the floor and quickly dressed. Then he spun, letting the garment broadcast his long legs and soft, subtle curves. "Perhaps…" He smirked, winking and backing towards the door. "But the game is not over, and you haven't won yet." Yugi winked, then dashed from the room.

Timaeus smile curled—the smile of a hunter prowling for something far more precious and vital than its next meal. "We shall see." He gave chased and slipped into the shadows.

Yugi spun when he saw the other was not behind him. Too late, he realized his mistake and the other pounced. Yugi shrieked with laughter until the other scooped him over his arms and dropped him squirming onto the bed, the shift rising and giving Timaeus a delicious view of the parts it hid. Suddenly embarrassed by the other's leer, Yugi sat up and pushed it down, glaring red-faced.

Timaeus chuckled and gently brushed Yugi's bangs from his face. "Rest assured, love, we'll only take that final step when you come to me," he promised and pressed a soft kiss to Yugi's lips: chaste and promising. "When," he had said, not "if." Was he truly that confident? The soft, warm press of his lips against Yugi's and the dizzying taste of ambrosia answered his question.

"If you are not ready," Timaeus continued when he pulled away and fished Yugi's champagne garments from the floor, "there is nothing wrong with waiting. I could wait forever."

And once again, Yugi _knew_ Timaeus could and would, as he did last night. He's repeated the very same words and the younger knew it wasn't just a boast.

But despite those promises, Yugi had no intention of delaying the bedding more than necessary. Their marriage needed to be consummated and it wasn't fair to Timaeus—never mind that Yugi himself was just as excited for it as he was nervous about it. He wondered… Had his mother and sisters felt like this on their wedding nights? Perhaps if he'd been less stubborn, he could've asked Mut. Now it was too late, and he had no one else to ask… except…

"Blast!" Timaeus' shout broke the spell of Yugi's thoughts. Timaeus stood at the end of the bed, shaking the silks still drenched from yesterday's rain. "Seems you'll be going in your armor after all." He snorted again and Yugi blushed, recalling the past day's argument. "Unless you're content to go about in damp clothing?" he teased. "Or perhaps you'd rather go in your shift?"

He sounded so certain that Yugi decided to rile him. "I'm sure it'll dry." He snatched them away and dressed quickly. Spending the night in a wet pile had done little to dry them, but after two months at sea, he was used to damp clothing already. "Shame this is my only outfit." Yugi pouted with smirking eyes.

Timaeus blanched then laughed. "Well, I apologize, love. I did not expect to return from Kemet with a bride. If I had, I'd have had apartments filled with the finest silks and robes befitting your status as mine."

"I've no doubt you would." Yugi chuckled and kissed him. "What will happen today?" Yugi asked suddenly.

"I'll be at the helm, watching for the South Gates." Timaeus turned to his mate with a smile. "Will you not joining me?" he offered a hand.

It sounded so tempting, but Yugi shook his head.

"I will meet you there. I need to ask Rhebekka something first."

"Alright. The sky is clear and the winds are on our side. It promises to be a sweet day." He smiled brightly and Yugi watched him go.

"Indeed it does."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Queen sips her wine) Hope you all enjoy this nice little round of fluff and cirtuis between these two. My fav part about this chapter is Timaeus and just how naively innocent Yugi is-Tim may be a gentlemen but he's still a man, and men have urges that it kills them to hold back. But he loves Yugi way too much to pressure him-and again anyone who's ever been a virgin I think can sympathize with Yugi's situation: he's ready emotionally but physically he's not ready to take that leap...but he's got time to sort it all out (and damnit I cannot WAIT to post THAT lemon!)
> 
> Glossary-Timaeus' terms of endearment for Yugi
> 
> agape mou-Literally "My Love"; Greek term of endearment used formally or informally but mostly as an intimate term  
> between couples
> 
> joon-am-Literally "My Life"; Persian; a slightly more extreme term of endearment and commonly follows a name (Persians  
> are extreme with their emotions so this can be used for an intimate friend as well as a lover) Tim uses it as  
> Yugi-joon, in a more literal sense.
> 
> jăné del-am-Literally "The life of my heart"; Persian; Very romantic term of endearment, meant to ignite love and passion
> 
> glykia mou-Literally "My sweet", "My Sweetheart"' Greek term of endearment, Timaeus usually calls Yugi sweet one or  
> sweetling, this is the spartan/greek version of that same name (but passion causes him to slip into his native  
> tongue)
> 
> ătashé del-am-Literally "The fire of my heart"; Persian, common phrase used for loved ones, mean to represent one's fiery  
> passion and desire for their spouse.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed it :) I'm having so much fun writing this story and did NOT expect to have so much fun writing Part as I did! They're almost at Locri and you all know what that means ;)
> 
> as always read, review, comment, critique, post theories, ask me anything (i'm very nice, NOTHING will offend me-even if you hate it GIVE ME A REASON! its how i make the story better)
> 
> NEXT TIME: With Locri-and his wedding night-fast approaching, Yugi seeks advice from the ONE person who has any inkling of what's going on.


	50. Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Locri-and his wedding night-fast approaching, Yugi seeks advice from the ONE person who has any inkling of what's going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50 chapters...I just realized! Thus making this my longest story ever! I did not expect this story to reach that length but I am SO PROUD!
> 
> Posted a little later than i expected but still proud I made one of my deadlines!
> 
> HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
> 
> Special Thanks to Armanthine Ispwich for being such an awesome Grammar Knight!

_Chapter L: Advice_

The back room between the galley and the stairs to the infirmary above was like an apothecary shop. It was equipped with long, drying framed nets with linen gauze suspended by thick ropes, where leafy green plants with strange flowers and stranger leaves grew in glass jars. Open shelves drilled with holes provided circulation of air, and the only light came from the wooden hatch overhead. The air inside was thick with complicated clouds of delicious smells and pungent odors: cinnamon and nutmeg collided with the tang of pepper and onion, and the sweet, grassy perfume of parsley, basil, and other plants famous for their medical properties. Against the opposite wall was a large, oddly-carved table. Vertical and horizontal canisters built into the wood held an impressive display of mortars, pestles, mixing bowls, and spoons. And that was where Yugi knew he would find Rhebekka in the early hours just after dawn. No one else could put these poisonous doubts to rest but her.

Locri was fast approaching, and though Yugi did not doubt Timaeus' sincerity, he had no intention of denying their wedding night any longer—nor did he think his traitorous body would, either.

He stopped suddenly, flushed with embarrassment. Timaeus' kisses still burned on his skin like invisible brands. Timaeus' fingers left feather-like bruises that sent tiny tickling bursts down his skin when he moved. His thighs quivered like liquid at the memory of those strong hands parting them—the delicious, scorching, soul-searing heat of Timaeus' hips and manhood pressed against him…

He steadied himself against the wall and took quick, heavy breaths to calm his racing heart, but every time he closed his eyes, Timaeus was there—his warm breath on Yugi's ear and his hands on Yugi's skin.

Yugi shook his head furiously. "I'm not some wanton slave girl!" he protested quietly to himself. "To just fall into his bed..." He winced at just how easily he _had_ fallen. One moment he was dancing, the next, he was in Timaeus' arms—naked and all dignity abandoned. And all from a simple kiss? What would it be like when they became one? He blushed. Had _he_ let himself surrender?

Oh, that thought delighted him—just as intensely as it distressed him.

Never had his previous relationships aroused any such response; there had been pleasure, of course, and comfort and a new closeness—perhaps even passion—but _never_ the kind that Timaeus had awakened. Never had he experienced that side of himself, and yet Timaeus had. His mere presence was addicting and impossible to resist. The sensation was like being embraced by a powerful flame—the warm, comforting heat, the suddenly-scorching burn, and the intense, destructive, all-consuming blaze of his self when he surrendered. Yugi had no protests being burned, and that revelation was far too alarming to confront on his own.

He needed Rhebekka's kind words and blunt wit. Confident a flirt as Yugi was and as much as he adored his new husband's boldness in bed, it was one thing to tease and taunt and another to accept and embrace. Yugi knew once they reached Locri—once they entered the Great House and their conjoined rooms—Yugi knew, he _knew_ , he wouldn't be able to resist Timaeus, nor did he want to. Just as he knew that a single night would break him—shatter all his defenses and splinter his shields completely, leaving him irrevocably changed. That terrified him even more.

He trusted Timaeus. Secretly, he even dared to hope that he was falling for him—and a single night in his bed would be more dangerous than a thousand scorching kisses. It would never be enough. Just one night—if he woke and that intense, furious passion was unrequited, he would burn. Now more than ever, he needed Rhebekka's blunt boldness.

He found her grinding frankincense into a sticky green oil of some sort, and applying it to the joints of her arms, hips, and chest. He blushed and cleared his throat.

She spun sharply but all the accusation left her face when she saw him. "Oh, hello, Yugi." She adjusted her dress, covering her breasts. "It's certainly a babe," she confirmed, tying her lacings—much to his relief. "Damn thing squirmed all night and left a sour ache in my bones. I'm six and ten, and already I feel like an old crone," she snapped. "Thank the Iron Lady for frankincense." She washed her hands in a nearby bucket reserved for such things and dried them on her dress. Then she strolled past Yugi and plopped down on a wooden bench in the galley.

"You missed the evening meal but there's some food in the kitchen whenever you'd like to go." She gestured a hand. He sat across from her, silent but for the blood rushing to his face. He cast his friend a speculative glance then settled his eyes on the hands folded on his lap.

Rhebekka studied him quizzically then rested her chin in her propped palm. "Alright, friend, what is amiss? You're not ill, are you?

Yugi's face suffused with color and he shook his head quickly. "No, no, nothing like that." He wringed his fingers, fiddling with them on the damp folds of his skirts. "It's just... that... we'll be in Locri soon and…" He stumbled over the words and they felt heavy in his throat. He couldn't fathom how to say it, so he asked it all at once. "What is it like?"

Rhebekka's elbow slipped and she sat up. "Beg pardon?"

Yugi's face bloomed crimson, and at once, she understood. "Ah… you're referring to your wedding night."

Unable to find his voice, Yugi nodded.

Straightening, Rhebekka whirled to face him, and rested her chin in her folded palms once again. "How so? You know what to expect already, don't you?"

"I…" Yugi cleared his throat, turning redder. "I know some."

He'd been a mere slip of a thing as a child: sheltered and painfully shy. But over the years, curiosity, urges, and perhaps loneliness overcame such awkwardness. The discovery of his beauty, both internally and physically, had instilled in him a sense of power and confidence, and his talent for flirting developed as a result. But his past affairs had been short, spur-of-the-moment bursts, born of intense emotion and, occasionally, passion. Confident as he was with taunts and teases, intercourse was something he kept closely reserved. He knew enough of the act and what it meant. But it was one thing to know about sex and another completely to let Timaeus make love him.

"At least, I thought I did…" he trailed off, unable to explain. So he told the truth. "But when Timaeus holds me and kisses me, I feel things I've never felt before and it's like… I lose myself completely. I can't remember who I am or what I was, yet I have no desire to remember or even care to." He paused, fingers twisting in his skirt. "I feel like I have no control over who I am or what I'm doing and it…" He bit his lip. "It unsettles me."

"That's because you understand the mechanics of it," Rhebekka answered without missing a beat, but her smile was kind. "Unfortunately, those are the easiest parts. Perhaps, even, the only one that can be truly explained. The rest you have to experience, which you have already to some degree, yes?"

Yugi nodded, face darkening in scarlet.

"All the better, then," Rhebekka confirmed, clapping her hands in gleeful agreement. "Best to go to your marriage bed with some knowledge than not knowing what to expect and scaring yourself witless trying to guess."

The indignation and disgust curling in the last of her words gave Yugi pause. "Oh, is that what happened to you?" he asked uncomfortably.

Rhebekka snorted. "Oh, nay." She waves him away with a hand. "My mother told me long before I was old enough to marry. She was adamant I not go to my marriage bed as terrified as she was. She loved my father dearly, mind you, but it's always Hell for a man who loves his wife if the wife knows not what to expect. You know, I once knew a man whose bride fainted at the sight of her husband naked—poor thing was so naïve. Could you imagine how difficult that was for her husband? For a husband who truly and deeply loves his wife, and she him, but could not consummate that love in the flesh? I swear, Yugi, you are fortunate your own culture is so progressive in such regards."

She flashed him a beaming, naughty smile.

Yugi wanted to disappear.

Noticing the way he folded in on himself, Rhebekka pressed. "Is it the idea of sex that unnerves you?" She studied his face. "Or perhaps not. Perhaps it's the idea of marriage and, in addition, bedding _this_ man in particular that unnerves you?"

" _Everything_ about Timaeus unnerves me," Yugi confessed at last. "Though not in a negative way."

"How so?" she asked, suddenly curious.

Yugi blushed brighter, face blooming in half-mortification and half-shyness. "Well... it is—" he choked. His throat tightened and he struggled for words. His fingers pulled at the wrinkles of his skirts and his gaze never left the floor. "It's not that—I mean, I trust Timaeus. I do. And I know he cares for me. But..." He forced his voice to steady. "The part that makes me nervous is..." His fingers wrung and clenched his skirts so tightly his knuckles turned white as bone. With a final burst of courage, he confessed all. "The part where he's actually inside me."

Yugi collapsed in a sigh. His body felt boneless, like the air in his lungs had been a trapped specter clawing desperately for freedom and once it was released, the relief was so instantaneous and intense, he could not move afterwards.

Rhebekka's answer was a sweet smile, like she found the answer to a riddle. "Ah, yes, I can understand that. That part ruins the best of us. Almost did me in as well, the first time."

"You?" Yugi gasped, stunned that anything could unravel his bold, blunt friend. She seemed too fierce for such things as timidity and shyness.

"Oh, aye," Rhebekka said, unabashed, and shamelessly began her anecdote: "It was not a day before we were to wed and before we were to be parted for the dressing and cleaning and all that, my husband and I. We snuck away to the shore where we first met for a last swim, and neither of us was holding back. As you can imagine next, he's just stripped down naked as his name-day and all I could think was 'that wiggly thing was what all this fuss was about?'" She laughed mirthfully.

Despite himself, Yugi giggled. "So how did you..."

"I didn't." She shrugged. Then she noticed his tremor and continued swiftly, "Don't misunderstand. I _was_ terrified, but it lasted only a moment before the... the pull returned. That's all I can describe it as." She trailed off merrily, wistfully, like an old woman telling her story, but it felt foreign and distant like it was about someone else's life.

"And this 'pull'?" Yugi asked.

"That one I can't explain—not if I tried. It can only be experienced, and you will." She smiled reassuringly. "The pull between you and Timaeus is strong—so strong, it is almost palpable. Let that pull guide you, and I suspect that the night we arrive in Locri will be the most extraordinary night of your life."

Yugi's eyes widened in amazement. The weight of her words were like small birds carrying him, and the weightless feeling caused all his doubts and fears to close like a poisonous flower, withering away to nothing. What was left was only warm memories: memories of sweet words, playful games, and gentle, loving kisses. He closed his eyes, humming, arms hugging his shoulders.

"It's strange..." he trailed off. "All this is so new to me. It's all so foreign and yet I don't know if I'm uncertain or blissfully happy. I can't explain it." He chuckled nervously when he heard himself speak those words. "Forgive me. I don't know what I'm saying, much less how I feel."

His smile was contented but his eyes pleaded for an explanation.

"You…" Rhebekka's smile curled. "You as a man very much in love, but never expected to be."

Yugi started at her words. "Love?"

"Understandable, given the fact that you never truly thought you'd marry anyone at all, yes?"

Yugi's lashes swept his blushing cheeks as his friend's message found its mark. It was true, wasn't it? He remembered that naïve little child in the gardens with his sisters, boldly stating he would never marry one time when they were discussing betrothals. How proudly he'd boasted. Even when he had come of age and his body coursed with urges, it was much more fun to tease and taunt his conquests, to earn favors in the form of games and secrets in exchange for kisses. Love was an emotion he's sought and never found, but marriage had been an honor he'd not dreamed of—and all but perished when his mother died. Marriage had never crossed his mind until he'd met Timaeus, and even then it had been a young girl's smitten daydream. He never pondered the truth of it until it had happened—and to the leader of the Dragon Knights, no less. It was a far cry for the youngest child of any ruler or peasant, when heiresses were preferred to make treaties.

Rhebekka giggled like a bridesmaid preparing a maiden for her wedding night. She slid around the table and fixed him with a fox's sly grin. "Never imagined you'd find a man interesting enough to spend your life with and vivacious enough to spread your legs for."

Yugi's breath expelled in a rush.

"A man as vital and lively as yourself with a thirst for life and adventure. A man who trusts you, respects you, and adores you, and will ravish you at night when you make love—a man like Timaeus?"

"Rhebekka!" Yugi shrieked, mortified.

She burst into giggles and laughed like a matchmaker boasting over her success. "Aye, well…" Her eyes twinkled with merry mischief. "Won't be long either way, I reckon."

Something about the way she said it made Yugi shoot up. That all-knowing confidence like an open secret exposed to all but the one who was trying to hide it. He did not like that smile curling at her lips—that impish, provisional smirk of promised mischief. "What are you on about?" he demanded.

"Fine, then." She rearranged herself and laid her chin on her palms. "Tell me true, are the rumors I'm hearing of last night the truth or are you still a maid?"

Yugi's face suffused with color until it bloomed red and ferocious like a wild desert rose. He stared at her, abashed and wide eyed, barely choking out a meek, stifled, "What?" before the tiny squeak exploded into, "What kind of question is that!?"

"Still a maid, then," Rhebekka said with a nod of confirmation. Not even a flinch at Yugi's outburst. "If you weren't, you'd be protesting that you were."

Yugi stared at her dumbfounded. Stupefied to silence, he dropped to the seat opposite her. "Is that what they're saying now?" he squeaked out.

Rhebekka shook her head. "Nay," she said simply, but the smirk implied another mischief. "The talks say you two shared _quite_ the kiss last night." He blushed harder, confirming the rumor. "And in the rain, no less! One that led to a rather _bold_ act on your part, and a series of several unusual sounds coming from the Great Cabin." Yugi said nothing, but his face drowned to a bright vermillion. "And that was _after_ you performed a rather _enthralling_ dance for our Trierarch during last night's rain."

Yugi wanted to disappear.

"Tell me, are they true?"

He nodded, unable to face her. Rhebekka just shook her head and laughed. "And you are still a maid?"

He shot up and glared at her, face burning redder. "Yes, Rhebekka, I am," he said with a snap.

"Then what's the problem? Nerves got the better of you?"

"N-No, that's not what—" he stuttered, stopped himself, and snapped with a blush. "It's not your business."

Rhebekka did not flinch. "Yugi…" she sang musically, her eyes twinkling with merry wickedness.

He was saved from further humiliation when footsteps lightly trekked the stairs. "There you are!" Ryou said triumphantly. His cheeks were red, his breath was heavy, and his hair was tussled like he'd been running or brawling.

Straightening himself, he bowed to them both and grinned. "We're here."

The words resounded like a stone dropped in a well and the excitement of the coming rains.

"We're approaching the South Gate," Ryou continued, turning to Yugi. "He's waiting for you at the bow."

Like a child on his name-day, Yugi's face brightened and he dashed for the steps.

"Friend." Rhebekka's stern voice halted him. He turned and she smiled brightly. "Think on what I said."

He smiled back softly. "I will." With a nod and a promise, he spun on his heels and sprinted the rest of the way to his husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter I actually wrote a while back and was the one that needed the less editing. It was just so fun and easy to write! And i love Rhebekka chapters! Amazing how a character meant to be a cameo completely and totally stole the show-but let's be honest there was only one person Yugi could ask about this and I like showing the more sorial side of her bestowing a youngling with her sexual wisdom :)
> 
> As always read, review, critique, comment, ask questions and go nuts!
> 
> NEXT UPDATE: November 13th
> 
> NEXT TIME: After a long month as sea, The Eye finally reaches the South Gate.


	51. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long month as sea, The Eye finally reaches the South Gate.

_Chapter LI: Arrival_

 

Yugi found Timaeus at the helm shouting orders and steering the massive wheel, looking every inch the mystical Dragon Knight: green armor glittering in the sun like dragon scales, cloak billowing behind him like wings, and mismatched eyes shimmering with pride and power. Down below, sailors and soldiers scrambled up the three tall masts and down the rigging like spiders on a web. The rest herded below, and with a loud groan like the rumbling belly of some massive beast, the oars moved—curling in perfect circles and spread wide like skeletal wings. The ship tilted, creaked, and Yugi braced himself as the great ship known as _The Eye of Timaeus_ heeled to starboard and began to come about.

Yugi met Timaeus at the wheel, and for half a heartbeat, his stern face softened and Yugi saw his Husband. Timaeus gave him a small smile then his expression changed, once more the indomitable Trierarch. With a glance in Ryou’s direction, the navigator understood and took the helm. He swaggered in Yugi’s direction. His smile never vanished. Then before anyone could care or stop him, Timaeus kissed him.

“Come.” He pulled back before Yugi could be swept away. “I want to show you something.” He squeezed Yugi’s hand and Yugi allowed himself to be guided, down the steps, across the deck, and to the bow where the view was the grandest. Yugi snuck between the wings of the prow’s dragon for a better look, Timaeus at his side and his hand stabilizing Yugi’s shoulder.

 “Look, love.” He pointed and Yugi’s eyes followed his finger. The sun was rising steadily and the sky hung low with a canvas of rosy silks, pale pinks, and magenta muslins woven with gossamer strands of spun gold and framed by curtains of dark gray mist. Faint and far away, a shadow burned low on the horizon, shining through the sea mists like a looming mountain.

Then the mists parted.

_The Eye_ cleaved through the darkening waters on billowing black and emerald wings, and the gray sheer fled—scrambling, like frightened ghosts away from the draconic guardian.

Then Yugi saw it.

Dead ahead where the sea parted stood a massive configuration of red, black, and white stone. Braced between two stone structures that reminded Yugi of obelisks, but cylinder in shape and topped with cones like pointed hats, the wall was a massive pylon, shape carved from petrified wood like sun-bleached bone. Its base disappeared into the deep ocean. Inside the roof of each tower housed the bright light of a large burning flame, like a pair of monstrous eyes.

As the sun rose higher, Yugi saw more. On either side of the small wall, two lines of stone ridges rose suddenly, bristling along the steep slopes like jagged teeth. Waves crashed against the massive weather-worn rocks. He noticed at once that they were not rocks, but stone ports—the stony shore acting as a single conjoined dock. Tied to stony quays like hounds in a kettle, dozens of galleys stood with their sails retracted and their proud prows painted and ready for battle. Like loyal soldiers: armed, mean and waiting for their General’s command to call them forth. Behind the first line of defenders, he observed the painted prows of even more ships, housed within wooden sheds built on high platforms on either side of smaller inner streams, like horses in stables being groomed for battle. Something else was missing, he quickly noticed.

“Where is its pylon?” Yugi asked aloud.

Timaeus laughed behind him. “Atlantis has no walls,” he chuckled, and cast an arm over the naval fleet. “Our walls are made of wood and silk, and painted blue and green and red.”

He understood at once. “The _galleys_ are its walls.” His eyes bulged in amazement, his voice an awed breath.

“We need no other,” Timaeus bragged as proudly as if he’d built it. “The shore is made of stone and serves as our docks, the dunes protect them from the worst of the sea’s winds, and wood from the North has allowed us to create yards for building even more ships in the canals of its crevices. You won’t find a more impressive navy.”

“No, you won’t,” Yugi breathed, blinking with amazement. Kemet’s fleet could not come close to such a force. Yugi’s heart suddenly quickened as the gargantuan wall of stone loomed ever closer. He thought it no bigger than the House of Amun’s pylon, but as it drew nearer, the stone structure still grew. Yugi stretched his neck to see it, until he was certain it could collapse the Great House were it to ever fall. Behind him, Timaeus barked orders and the men once more returned to the riggings and retracted the sails. The ship’s speed slowed significantly. Then the oars steadied and the ship froze still.

 “We’re almost there,” Timaeus promised him, strong hands secured comfortingly on the other’s shoulders. He turned to the highest mast and said, “Ready our sail!”

The men above obeyed and unfurled the topmost sail, an emerald green cloth baring the emblem of a massive black and silver dragon—its single eye a mysterious, colorless pearl, and in its teeth a glistening emerald encrusted sword.

“Now,” Timaeus released Yugi’s shoulders and took his hand. Yugi blinked at him, bemused, but Timaeus flashed him a confident smile. Then they were standing in the heart of the deck just as the ship stilled. Above his peripheral vision, Yugi caught sight of figures atop the tower standing by the massive glowing fires.

Then Timaeus roared. “I am Timaeus, First of the Emperor’s Sworn Legion of Dragon Knights of Atlantis, Magistrate of her western city of Locri, and Trierarch of her prized war vessel _The Eye of Timaeus_ , and I request entrance and passage through her East Gate.” His voice boomed, the sound like a roar of a mighty lion echoing for miles and dominating all other voices around it—be it the cries of seabirds or the crashing of ocean waves.

Then Timaeus bellowed again, loud, confident, and beaming with pride. “So that I may bring home my consort.”

Yugi’s eyes widened for a second. The words struck like an arrow. The sheer reality of them crashed against the sheer confidence in which Timaeus had spoken that fact.

_I’m his consort_. The words echoed in his mind, at first distant like a foreign ghost. _I’m his consort_. They carried a greater recognition this time, a more comforting familiarity—like something he’s briefly forgotten but was none the less true. “I’m his _consort_!” He said them with an almost-giddy glee.

Then Timaeus squeezed his hand and whispered proudly, “Yes, you are.”

Yugi blushed. So he _had_ said that out loud.

Then the Gate bellowed. Yugi’s eyes shot towards the massive gates. The scattering of birds and feet. A rattle of chains. The groaning of gears, and the rumbling shifts of stone and wood—then the massive gates opened, slow and with a deliberate groan, like a monster opening its mouth to yawn. Yugi watched, eyes wide and fascinated. Was this the technology Atlantis boasted? These walls that looked chiseled from the mountain itself and parting at will?

Over his raised head, Timaeus swept a stern gaze to his men and howled an order. In minutes, the crew was back to the rigging, the oars returned to their perfect motions and the spiraling green and black sails unfurled just in time to catch the wind, and _The Eye of Timaeus_ sailed forward at full speed—a swift, beautiful dragon flying on magnificent wings.

Yugi nearly stumbled as the ship suddenly picked up speed, but Timaeus caught him and whispered, “Hold on.” He gripped the rim of the prow as he said it. Yugi copied his movements. It was then he saw the sudden dip in the current, like the sea itself was being swallowed by the gargantuan Atlantian gate.

Wind and wave drove _The Eye_ swiftly forward and through the channel, and she accepted their watery hands with open wings. Her oars glided smoothly across the sea’s surface like a dragonfly skimming across a lotus pond. Then the oars stalled, _The Eye_ picked up speed, and just as they reached the gap between the partially-opened gates, Yugi felt a rush like the rapid downward dip of a river—and released, to his utter shock, horror, and childish excitement that it was exactly what it was.

“Hold on!” Timaeus held him tight as the draconic ship dove. Waves dragged the ship down the nearly-perpendicular slope of a semi-large waterfall, sliding the ship down its bank with a beautiful, terrifying splash.

Yugi screamed: a combination of anticipating excitement and delightful terror, as the ship swooped, crashed, and sent a breaking wave of water over her head and wings—drenching her Trierarch and his Consort before balancing herself out and continuing the steady trek down the canal at full speed.

“Keep her steady men!” Timaeus bellowed, not at all hindered by his sudden dampness. “I want to reach the first river by dusk.” He turned to Yugi with a smile. “Well, love, how was your first experience with Atlantian technology?” The boyish smile perfectly reflected the messy flop of his damp hair, the brightening redness of his cheek, and the almost-glittering excitement in his adventurous green and pearl eyes.

Yugi burst into giggles. “Exciting and wholly unexpected,” he confessed, and shook his soaked hair, scattering raindrops. He looked down at his wet clothes and wiggled his nose. “Though I did not expect to get another bath today.”

Timaeus laughed. “If I told you, love, it would’ve ruined the surprise.”

Yugi nodded and leaned against the ship’s rail. The breeze played with his hair, thick with salt but less salty than the ocean air and gentler, as well.

“Can she keep at this speed?” he asked Timaeus, curious.

A proud grin slit his face. “Her fastest is twelve knots,” he bragged. “We’ll keep her at eleven without the waves, but the wind’s on our side and the oars are strong. This is the Atlantis canals, not the sea. The waters are calmer here and easier to manage.”

Yugi blinked. “What about the Ocean’s current? Does the Gate keep it out?”

Timaeus laughed again. “Not like that, love, no. Neither wood nor stone can keep the sea out entirely, but the canals are man-made: each one links the capital to the sea and allows travel to her cities. The Gates never fully close, but they can open just enough to allow our ships to pass and offer enough control to keep the canals from overflowing. They are not shallow, but having them at this level means our ships can sail at their full capacity and we have no fear of running aground.”

It made sense, Yugi decided, just as _The Eye_ sailed into the lagoon. He focused on the view beyond, absorbing everything.

The waters of the canal were deep and dark, its bottom invisible through the murky depths, and wide enough that three of Timaeus’ ships could safely sail side by side. Smaller canals branched into a series of winding narrow brooks, their inclines curved into steep slopes. Cliffs of sandy hills, Yugi recognized as dunes, wove around the rivers of the shipyard, sprinkled with tuffs of tall grass and thorny green plants of whose names and origins Yugi did not know. Curves of sand then gave rise to a sea of tall golden grasses swaying in the breeze like alluring dancers. Shadows of more streams dried to an under-layer of water, and mud was concealed beneath their lovely stalks—a beautiful cloth of gold concealing a dark and deadly trap.

It was nothing like the Delta’s cloak of green, where hearty green plants and grasses melted with swaying palm trees, speckled with colorful flowers and ripe fruits like a green mantle embroidered with bright jewels. The canal was bare and empty of plant life: a stark contrast of the Blue Nile’s papyrus sedge and carpet of red lotus. And while the Nile’s ravine boasted steep rocky tors along its banks and small stretches of farm land, it was never so marshy or waterlogged, except perhaps after _Akhet_ , but that was months ago.

Then he watched in absolute amazement as the low-laying valley of the marsh curved into a wide open pasture with a network of streams weaving through it. Pockets of sandy islands formed the base for small buildings, which Yugi assumed were houses. They were nothing like the mud-brick terraces of Kemet’s cities. Raised above the water and sandy hills on stilts and platforms of petrified wood, they were tall and slender, spiraling towards the sky in a straight rectangle, rather than ground-level long houses. Their windows were curved instead of squared and had curtains and shudders. There were no city walls, or pillars, or thatches, or cooking yards—instead, they had wooden porches and flat wooden roofs used for leisure. _Altanas,_ Timaeus had called them, and stairways spiraled around the outside connecting roof and porch.

There were no roads either and instead, bridges and docks formed roads of wood weaves above the marsh, barely visible in the grass. Stone docks held small wooden boats tied to masts along the river banks and far off in the horizon, he saw the shadow of a stone wall separating the marsh from the other side. If Yugi squinted and bent far enough, he could see the faint image of another river curving horizontally instead of the vertical one they now rode—and on a higher slope, the roofs of what looked like houses. Yet the vastness of it was what made it magical; the expanse of nothingness all around created an ephemeral nature, like a desert mirage. An infinity of sky, marsh, and water.

He squeaked when a strong arm slipped around his waist and scooped him up.

“Careful, love,” Timaeus teased. “I don’t fancy fishing you out of the mud if curiosity compelled you to lean too far over.”

Yugi stuck his tongue out at him, but Timaeus only laughed. “Don’t fret, you’ll see it soon.”

Yugi accepted the answer and turning back to the beyond, he asked, “Is this what all of Atlantis is like?”

“Dark Abyss, no,” Timaeus chuckled. “This is the most southern plain—a marsh, mostly. It allows for fishing and merchant travel but primarily, it is a shield against storms and a base for our fleet, as you saw. Critias’ main stronghold and city is beyond the first wall. You won’t see much of it beyond the river, but I imagine you’ll see some. Locri is much different. She is all mountains and water. Not marsh and mud,” he boasted as if he’d designed it himself.

Yugi smiled and chuckled, slightly relieved. “I’m pleased.” Beautiful as the marsh was, it looked dreadfully boring with just the shipyard and piers to explore. Certainly not the magnificent, bustling city Timaeus had boasted. “How long until Locri?” he asked with a bit of trepidation in his voice.

“I imagine we’ll reach the first river by nightfall. After that, if we sail all night and all day, we should arrive by evening tomorrow.” His grin widened to a bright-eyed smirk. “Just in time for the celebration of their Magistrate’s return and to welcome his new consort home.”

He kissed Yugi’s cheek impulsively. Yugi squirmed, giggling, and tried to shove him away.

“Stop that,” Yugi scolded through a fit of giggles. “What if your men saw us?”

Timaeus only grinned. “Let them! I’m perfectly comfortable with them knowing how well I please my consort.”

Yugi blushed brightly at the implication. His wet clothes suddenly felt tight and he shivered. None of which went unnoticed.

Timaeus chuckled and dramatically threw his cape over Yugi’s shoulder. The effect was ruined by the wet flop it made against his armor. Yugi tried not to laugh.

Timaeus tried not to snort. “Come. We won’t reach the next gate for a few hours, and I doubt either of us fancies looking like drowned rats when we get there.”

                                                X         X         X

The cold water was a welcome relief when Timaeus upended a basin over Yugi’s head, if the loud shuddering moan was any indication. By the time they’d returned to the Great Cabin, the brackish water had already dried and matted Yugi’s thick hair into stiff, straw clumps, and crystals of salt dusted and itched his skin. Like a cleansing rain ridding him of all grime and foulness, the sudden spray felt amazing and he responded with a happy moan.

Timaeus shuddered at the sound, and praised his decision to have them both don a wrap before joining Yugi in the washroom and the good judgment behind it. Even _he_ admitted he was relieved to be rid of the waterlogged armor and the stiffening, itching layers beneath it. The gratifying relief made all the more frustrating by the sight of his very pretty, very naked consort on the other side of the door. All wet and luscious. Moaning and making noises like that. It was simply too much temptation for the amorous Trierarch.

“Keep making noises like that, love, and we won’t last another hour. Let alone until dusk tomorrow.”

The blush spread across Yugi’s entire body. His eyed popped open and he spun to the man, and a mixture of stunned mystification and bashed excitement widened his eyes. The color on his cheeks was neither pink nor crimson, but a soft, sweet, rosy color like watered-down pomegranate juice. Timaeus licked his lips. His stormy gaze heated considerably as it drifted over the curvaceous territory now opened to him. Yugi’s little smile and those soul-stealing lotus-jeweled eyes were his final damnation. There was nothing coquettish or vain about it—just sweet, simple, innocent vulnerability.

Lords of the Dark Abyss, he wanted this boy—he was man enough to admit it, and piratical enough to want what he wanted and let the consequences be damned. He wanted to feel that sweet little body writhing beneath him, hot and eager and moaning for more. He wanted to hear each and every delectable little sound he made and his love moans as he invaded that sweet warmth. Wanted to feast on his pomegranate lips and the subtle satiny skin of his chest and belly until he’d had his fill and then he wanted to do it all over again—to somehow mark him, brand Yugi’s flesh with his possession in a way no other could.

It was a desire that scored deep in his veins, pulsing like a living being in his very blood. He watched Yugi shiver, still shy, still smiling—and somehow, that made him all the more delectable. Timaeus dropped the basin and knelt, level with Yugi’s eyes. Gently, he cupped that soft cheek and watched as Yugi’s smile brightened, his eyes squeezed with a bright, pretty blush, and his lips parted ever so slightly to giggle.

Then his eyes opened—bright glittering amethyst shimmering with all their sweetness.

“You’re so beautiful,” Timaeus purred, eyes locked, before leaning down to kiss him.

Yugi returned it eagerly. His pale hands rose to grip his shoulders. Timaeus snaked his arm around Yugi’s waist, pulling him closer, drinking in the taste of his little lover. Pure sweetness, like water from a cool stream on a hot day, flavored with pomegranates and berries and other sweet things. Gods, everything about Yugi was sweet, he decided.

Even his touches were soft and sweet, as his slender finger worked their way over Timaeus’ shoulder, the grooves and ridges of his chest, his sides, his calf, his thigh—

Timaeus broke the kiss and grabbed Yugi’s wrists, pinning them level with his head up in open air. Yugi released a gasp of surprise and that was when Timaeus saw it. The twinkle of desire buried in the depths of those sparkling eyes, and the mischievous curl of his lips just before he smirked.

“Don’t even think it, my delectable little imp.” He smirked when Yugi’s brows furrowed together in a huff. Yugi may have been sweet, but he was far from innocent.

Yugi leaned in to kiss him again, but Timaeus caught his shoulders before he could move. “Careful,” he warned, voice dark, deep, and dangerous. He paused to breathe and found himself panting. “Forgive me, it is… difficult for me to hold myself back around you.”

Yugi blinked for a moment then smiled. One hand moved to gently pry Timaeus’ fingers from his wrist and pushed himself to the edge of the stool. His hands found Timaeus’ shoulders again and this time when he smiled, his eyes were deep with desire. “What makes you think I _want_ you to hold back?” His words were a whisper of breath and more penetrating than any Timaeus has ever heard.

As Yugi leaned closer, all will within him begged him to relent. To break away the chains keeping him at bay and give into his most intimate desires, but as tempting as it was to take Yugi into his arms for the much more enjoyable pursuit of stripping away the silks and leather until they were both caught aflame, Timaeus was too much a man of honor to break his word. He cursed both those sides of himself.

Instead, he caught Yugi’s lips with his finger. Stopped by surprise, Yugi froze, waiting. Gone was the intensity from Timaeus’ face but his eyes still blazed, vigorous and unadulterated. Rubbing small circles with his thumb, Timaeus traced his cheek gently, then leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the rim of his mouth.

 “You say that now, love, but it is a one thing to pleasure a man with kisses and another with sex,” he explained with all the gentleness of a tender lover. “Would you have been ready if I wished to do more than kiss you?”

Yugi knew what he wanted to answer, but he knew better that Timaeus would not believe him. “How would you know if I was ready or not?” he demanded with dull bitterness.

“ _I_ don’t,” he said, unhurt by the words. “But when we’re both ready, then we’ll know.”

Yugi looked unconvinced. “Yes, well… Enough of that.”

He shook his head, loosening his hair just enough to brush it back with his own hands to curve his disappointment. He pushed himself back on the stool and smiled instead. “Tell me more about Locri? You’ve told me much about the landscape and the environment and the culture, but what will _my_ duties be?”

Timaeus smiled and grabbed another stood to sit behind him. “We have discussed that already. You know it well.” He grabbed a bottle of perfumed soap, squeezed a generous amount in his hands, and rubbed them into a rich lather.

“I meant the details. The customs, the laws, the calendar?”

“Has Rhebekka not shown you?” he asked, gesturing with a twirl of his fingers for Yugi to turn around. The little one obeyed.  “ ‘Twas her duty until I married.”

“She’s told me some,” Yugi admitted, biting back a moan when the strong hands laced through his hair, massaging his scalp. “Though not what interests me.”

“And what is it that has you so curious, my Gem?”

“Our ceremony.”

The fingers paused. “How so?”

“Tell me about it? How will it be performed? The customs involved, the people… Do they even know I am coming? Please tell me all?”

Yugi sprang to face him, ignoring his nakedness but for the thin wrap about his chest. His eyes were bright with curiosity and timidity.

“Alright, alright,” Timaeus mollified and rinsed his hands. “Allow me to quell your curiosities. Close your eyes.”

Yugi did and Timaeus upended a second basin over him, rinsing the soap from his hair. Yugi threw it back like a veil and wrung out the excess water.

When he was settled, Timaeus asked, “What would you like to know?”

“All,” Yugi repeated, brightening immediately. “Tell me everything!”

“Everything?” Timaeus arched a brow. Lips tugged into a smile. “Very well, I’ll start with our arrival. The people know of your coming. Rhebekka and I have both sent word to my First. He is her husband and my Lord Commander. He will see that all the western shore know I will be returning with a bride. As he is my acting Hand, as well, he will see to it that my staff has prepared the house. It would not bode well for Locri if I took a bride and my people remained ignorant. For your arrival, the whole city will partake in the celebratory feast, my seamstresses will gather the materials needed for your wardrobe, and my heads of staff will prepare our joined rooms. But I imagine we will not see them until the Bedding.”

Yugi fought down a blush.

Timaeus laughed and brushed Yugi’s hair back with his fingers. “You need not fear, my Gem.” Timaeus caressed his cheeks soothingly. “They will love you just as I do.”

Yugi shot up, sparked by uncertainty. “Am I… Will they be greeting us upon arrival?”

Sensing his nervousness, Timaeus put down his fears by gently stroking Yugi’s cheeks with a circling thumb.

“Aye, they will. I imagine the whole of Locri will be flocking to the shores.” He chuckled when Yugi’s eyes bulged and his mouth gaped like a fish’s. “The whole _city_?”

“Aye.” Timaeus nodded. “It would not surprise me if the city itself was standing ashore, dressed in their finest and singing hymns waiting for us to arrive.”

“Why?” Yugi blinked.

Timaeus blinked as well. “Why to pay us homage and bestow us with blessings, of course.” He spoke as if it was obvious. “ ‘Tis not every day their liege lord brings home a bride.”

Yugi frowned. “But all that… ceremony? Just for our arrival? It sounds so… frivolous.”

Timaeus blinked again, then it hit him like sparks and he laughed. “Do your people not flock to see their king when he rides past? Do they not stop to glimpse his bride and cluster under the Window of Viewing each day to hear his command and welcome his heirs? Do they not love their King? Can you fault the people of Locri for wanting to catch a glimpse of their beloved liege lord’s wife?”

He paused to let Yugi ponder.

“Well, I can’t,” Yugi said. “But marriage is a private affair.”

“Perhaps,” said Timaeus. “But when it is the King’s, ‘tis not frivolous, my Gem, but loving. Locri loves her Magister well, and I have no doubt they will love his Magistrate.” He sealed the promise with a kiss upon Yugi’s lips, brimming with prepossessing confidence. “Of that, I am certain.”

Yugi smiled then puffed his chest and chin proudly. His hips swayed in seduction as he smirked teasingly. “And once I’ve been presented, you’ll scoop me up and whisk me away to your manor as the ritual goes?”

Timaeus burst out laughing. “That is the more… spirited version of the ritual, yes,” he admitted, voice high and humorous. “But I think the two of us traveling to my manor by canal will suffice.” He kissed Yugi’s nose.

Yugi smiled. “What else?”

“After that is when the real ceremony begins. Once I’ve introduced you to my staff, I have no doubt my servants will see you both properly bathed, dressed, and prepared to meet our guests and King as husband and consort, Magister and Magistrate, and they will welcome us with a glorious feast to celebrate. After that, you will be given your wedding gifts as a welcoming to Locri, I’ll bestow my own tokens of affection, the King will bless our union, and finally—“ He paused deliberately, smiling.

“And finally?” Yugi leaned forward, bracing his weight on Timaeus’ knees. With his half-lidded eyes misted with mischievous shadows and his lips curled into a smile, he looked every inch a temptress.

But Timaeus was not easily seduced. Not when he knew the true vulnerability beneath. “We’ll be stripped down and carried to our blessed marriage bed in our newly-joined chambers, where I will make love to you until dawn and every moment after until we are called back to our duties at the end of our lover’s getaway.”

The sudden change in Yugi’s expression from all mischievous eyes and seductive smiles to a stunned gape was too much for Timaeus and he nearly fell over laughing. He did when Yugi, burning red as ripe pomegranates and pouting, punched his arm and toppled him over.

Once he recovered his breath, Timaeus rose and gently hugged his little gem around the waist. Yugi squeaked loudly as he was lifted into the air and then into Timaeus’ arms. He carried them back to the bed and settled against the pillows, Yugi still in his embrace, naked and wet and vulnerable and all the more delectable. “But we will only take that step with your consent,” he assured, pressing a gentle kiss to Yugi’s temple.

Yugi blushed and hid his neck in the curve of Timaeus’ neck. Then he rolled over until he was in the man’s lap.

“I do want to...” he said, with a smile that was both sensual and sweet. “Just so you’re aware.” He blushed before saying the next part, but had no desire to unsay it. “And when we arrive in Locri, I want you to make me your wife… your consort… in every way that that implies.”

Timaeus thought his heart would burst in that single moment. Instead, he cupped Yugi’s cheeks, stared longingly into his eyes, and kissed him hard. Drowning him in all the passion and promise his soul could muster. When he pulled away, Yugi was flushed and panting, his eyes dazed and his fingers clinging weakly to Timaeus’ wrists.

“Tim…?” The word was all breath, but to Timaeus, it was like a prayer.

“Yes?” he asked smoothly.

Yugi blushed and hid his face in the curve of Timaeus’ neck. “Have you… ever… well… been in my position?” he whispered.

He understood at once. “Yes, a few times. When I was young. Honestly, I did not enjoy it much,” he said earnestly.

Yugi slowly lifted his head. “What is it… like?”

Tim blinked then smiled. “It is a strange feeling. As I’m sure you know, you’re very sensitive here,” he said, giving Yugi’s naked bottom a slight squeeze. Yugi cheeks burned and he moaned loudly, a fusion of excitement and want.

“Does it…” Yugi grasped for words, his voice unable to form them immediately. “Does it… hurt?”

Timaeus’ smile was genuine as he met Yugi’s eyes. “Not if you are gentle, _glykia-mou_ , and I can promise I will be _very_ gentle with you.” His grip on Yugi’s buttocks tightened and he smirked. “But I will not be a gentle _man_.”

Yugi squeaked.

X         X         X

They settled in for their midday nap, before duty called them away for the rest of the eve. Rhebekka had taken their clothes to the galley to wash with the dishes. The rest of their outfits were too worn and ragged from weeks at sea and improper washing. When they awoke, they found two sets of clean clothes folded neatly on the bed’s edge.

Yugi blushed, realizing at once that his friend must’ve seen them naked as they slept. Unabashed, Timaeus detangled himself from their little pile and sifted through the garments. His own consisted of a freshly-scrubbed under-armor and a clean mantle. The second pile—Yugi’s—consisted of one of Rhebekka’s extra smocks. It did not go unnoticed by Yugi, who scoffed.

“My apologies, love,” Timaeus said sympathetically. “But I’m afraid we don’t have anything else for you to wear until your dress dries.”

Yugi pouted. Then his eyes brightened. “No, I have something else.”

He hopped to his knees and reached under the bed. With a baffled blink, Timaeus peeked, getting a lovely view of his little one’s pale, naked flesh, then choked on a gasp when he saw exactly _what_ Yugi removed. A beautiful box carved from white stone and capped with gold, and decorated with lotus blossoms carved from Kemetic jewels of amethyst and lapis lazuli—the patterns nearly identical to the bracelet dangling around Yugi’s wrist.

He quickly spun around and tried not to blush. Dowry boxes were the bride’s privacy, after all—only privy to her husband upon her official welcome into her husband’s house and home. His heart swelled a bit, knowing Yugi had used it, after all.

“There,” Yugi said and Timaeus spun—and almost gasped aloud.

He recognized the garment his little one now wore. The mash of white cotton and black silk. The silver ribbon bodice and seams of golden thread. The way the black sleeve clung around his neck like a fashionable necklace and the slits of black silk and white cotton formed the long skirt, but short enough that it remained masculine. He’d had it personally commissioned that way.

“Yugi… is that…?” He couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Yes, it is.” Yugi smiled brightly and folded his hands behind his back. “When we arrive in Locri, I want to wear the silks you gave me, so I can look like your Magistrate. But for now,” he paused and blushed. “I want to enjoy these last few hours I have just being your bride.”

And that single phrase of adoration was all it took.

Timaeus leapt forward, swept his Yugi into his arms, and kissed him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the sweet endings (Queen sips her wine and strokes her Kuriboh's little head) you know they will not last long...
> 
> And now we're FINALLY at Atlantis... or at least the first gate
> 
> Notes on Atlantis: I did a LOT of research on Atlantis' geography, structure, building style etc. Using both Plato and everything inspired by him. Following Disney's example with Lost Empire I was DETERMINED to move as FAR away from anything Greek inspired as possible, if only for diversity purposes, and because according to Timaeus Locri was located more West which would be Rome.
> 
> Based on my research I broke it down so Atlantis is currently occupying what is today, the Northern gap of the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Greece with the present day Adriatic Sea being a giant lake. So, all of Southern Italy and Eastern Greece is part of this empire: reason-according to Text Atlantis is located on Two sides by a chain of high jagged mountains (which is modern day western greece and eastern Italy, the whole lower item of Italy's "boot" is one big mountain) with the south being an open plane...I took this to heart and divided Atlantis into a triangle shape with the center City being in the heart of the ocean surrounded by the three rings of water, between which are three landmasses and lagoons that are styled like modern Venice-built on the water and connectable by waterways. The southern Marsh-mentioned and seen in this chapter, I based on a salt marsh, which one made sense as the perfect place for a marina and is known for its braken water ways.
> 
> The saltwater marsh in this story, is loosely based on the salt marshes I saw while visiting my relatives in Florida over the summer, specifically Amelia Island, which are beautiful! the salt marsh then has two open water ways or canals that lead to the ocean. The one The Eye of Timaeus is using is the Eastern Gate since the Western Gate that is closer to Locri would require another two days at sea, and another day to travel up and over-as Yugi explained chapters back, this is a faster route.
> 
> The buildings and landscape both of the cities and of the marsh are based on Venician architecture, with the marsh having a more ancient/early style and the inner cities having a more modern and advance style.
> 
> In coming chapters you'll be seeing much more of Atlantis, and I will do my best to do what i do best and paint the picture. I DO have a map I drew of the area that I planned to put on Deviantart if anyone is interested and thinks it would help with the visual aide. Let me know!
> 
> Inspirations for Atlantis:  
> Ancient and Modern Venice and its architectureBraavos (From Feast for Crows by G.R.R. Martin  
> The Great Green City seen in Journey and Quest by Aaron Berke (EXCELLENT SERIES!)  
> Salt marshes of Amelia Island  
> The box style houses and architecture of Ocean City, Maryland (one of the primary inspirations for this story-also built on a marshland)  
> Plato's descriptions and translations of ancient Atlantis  
> And, of course, Atlantis from the Yugioh Doma/Waking the Dragons Arc
> 
> as always critique, comment, ask questions, post theories and go nuts! Flames must have sound and logical reasons and harsh critiques ARE ENCOURAGED!
> 
> Next Update: November 27th
> 
> NEXT TIME: The Eye of Timaeus has finally arrived in Atlantis. With Locri only Days away Yugi finds himself overwhelmed by possibilities. Timaeus does his best to ensure Yugi won't falter and a message arrives to complicate things...
> 
>  As always critique, comment, ask questions, post theories and go nuts! Flames must have sound and logical reasons and harsh critiques ARE ENCOURAGED!


	52. Atlantis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After over two months at sea The Eye of Timaeus has finally made it home to Atlantis, and as Yugi enjoys exploring his new home, thoughts of the one he left behind weight on him and with Locri growing ever closer old insecurities start to surface...but this time he's not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're entering the home stretch..Atlantis is here, Locri is a day away and Timaeus is there to help Yugi with his anxiety issues...and if my math is correct only two-three chapters left until the moment all my wonderfully loyal fans have been waiting for,,,
> 
> Small announcement: The next few chapters are done but in editing/rewrite mode so i can't make promises on updates, due to the holidays. My goal is still to finish writing this story by New years, but I've also become sidetracked/obsessed with finishing my newest one-shot (which will have a sequel chapter. So my goal is to finish that this week and hopefully get that posted soon as well.
> 
> Also, once Timaeus part 2 is completed i will be posting a new story called At The King's Pleasure (my take on the Phatoah/Slave fic where Yugi-is-not-a-slave-for-once in response to the sudden surge of newer, more realistic takes on the genre (and my desire for a less meek Yugi) but nyway that won't be up until after New Years so be on the look out!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own the plot and this version of Atlantis based on Venice
> 
> as always, read, review, critique, comment, ask questions and go nuts!

_Chapter LII: Atlantis_

The River Gate was even more impressive than the first.

Beyond the bridges, Yugi saw it: the first of the massive river and stone rings Atlantis boasted. Like the first gate, it was crafted from black, white, and red stones, but was curved like the surrounding wall. Smaller than the first, its entrance was arch-shaped and its doors were made of petrified wood. It lacked the two towers with their glowing eyes, but instead had two stone stairways on either side. It was then that Yugi saw it was not just a gate, but a bridge connecting the two sides of the massive mote, as well.

"Just wait until you see Locri's aqueducts." Rhebekka giggled behind her hands. "Now _they_ are truly impressive."

"I'm sure I will be," Yugi said absently as _The Eye_ sailed closer, feeling the ship slow down and the river dip once more. It was shallower than the last canal, and despite going at her max speed just moments earlier, _The Eye of Timaeus_ sailed through the gates with steady ease, gliding into the lagoon with a smooth, slow stop.

Yugi blinked in confusion. "What is this?" he asked Timaeus, gesturing to the calm water and the four closed gates on either side of them, surprised that the eastern and western doors rose a good ten cubits above the other two.

From his place at the helm, Timaeus grinned. "Just watch." He turned the wheel sharply, turning _The Eye_ towards the western gate with ease. A loud whistle like a bird cry preluded the rattling of chains and the groan of heavy wood. And something else, Yugi's ears picked up: rustling water. Suddenly, both the western and eastern doors opened, and two sudden waterfalls came gushing out. Yugi jumped back in shock, almost crashing into Rhebekka, but Timaeus caught him around the waist with one arm. Yugi's eyes widened with stunned mystification as the water level rose and brought the ship with it.

Within moments, she was level with the western gate, and Timaeus sounded the summons. _The Eye's_ sails were quickly readied and her oars pushed her forward. She left the gate with a powerful burst of speed, and the wind caught her wings and drove her forward, Timaeus steering the ship in a perfect curve.

 _They really do use water for everything here_ , Yugi mused.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Timaeus asked.

"It is." He quietly gasped, surveying the new landscape with childish wonder. The canal was a massive mote enclosed on either side by walls of speckled stone, and connected by huge stone bridges curved like archways to allow ships to pass through in the low waters. The walls, he saw, did not separate the city from the water, but rather fed various waterfalls into it, and what Yugi thought was on a big ring of land was actually many small islands outlined by a labyrinth of canals and waterways linked by arched stone bridges. Some canals were flaked by sidewalks of grey stone, others wound into alleyways and between buildings, forming a network of water roads.

From the waters of the lagoon, the outline of the city was blurred by the ever-changing reflections, and the huge expanse of sky created a strange luminosity. Even with the hazy mountains visible in the far distant east and west, they seemed ethereal and insubstantial—whereas the rest of the city seemed to lie in the infinite space between water and air, and sea and sky. Beyond the wall, the first inner city rose higher and higher like a massive soaring mountain. Yugi's eyes expanded, and he craned his neck upwards to see it. The buildings of the city were framed only by each other and built so closely they leaned together, castellated, like each island housed a small castle. They were strange to Yugi's eyes. Unlike the quadrilateral grid-like style of Kemet's long houses, these were neither mud-brick nor the wood of the pasture farm houses he'd seen earlier in the hinderlands. They were tall, slender, and cylindrical towers of stone, with arched windows and slim flying buttress pillars for wrap-around decks. Some had sharp-peaked tiled roofs like pointed hats, while others had round golden domes. But most had _altanas_ decorated with oculus windows. All of them stood on piers of stone. The roads, if there were any, were neither sand nor ground, but smashed, smoothed and paved stones forming sidewalks on either side of the massive canals and interstitial alleys between clusters of buildings.

There was no wood, sand, or soil. They have no trees or earth, but what it is stands on the mountains and mud. Yugi realized it at once, watching as _The Eye_ sailed past a rather large gap in the wall—the opening to a waterfall that fed into a broad green waterway cutting straight to the heart of the inner city like a huge, green scar. Atlantis is a kingdom of sea and stone. Closer to the water's edge, he saw larger, taller houses, shaped like boxes—but with tower forms cut into wrap-around decks and boasting oculus windows decorated with beautiful images of colored glass, and fancy with flat _altanas_ roofs and velvet drapes, and glamorous decorations like curved flowers in vines or odd spirals.

They passed under another bridge, this one carved in the reflection of ocean waves and decorated with hundreds of colorful fish wrought from jewels. He spied smaller ones within the city, shaped like perfect arches; others were curved like branches and were painted with flowers; some were not bridges at all, but more canals directed by walls of green stones. Far off in the distance, once such canal—held up by multiple tiers above canals and houses alike—spiraled through the city like a massive snake, spitting water back out into the canal. He couldn't see its end.

"What is that?" Yugi asked curiously.

Rhebekka answered. "One of our aqueducts," she explained, eyes bright. "It brings fresh water for the fountains from the mainland, and deposits the waste water back into the canals, which is then fed back into the ocean."

Yugi gasped, torn between amazement and disgust. "How does that work?"

Rhebekka grinned. "The marsh," she explained. "The salt from the sea drowns and dries the waste, the marsh cleans out the brine, and then the rest is boiled and fed into the fountains for public use."

Yugi blinked, surprised by such a complex system. "Why not use water from the canals?"

It was Rhebekka's turn to grimace.

"The canals are polluted," Timaeus explained, understanding Yugi's logic. "Your Nile is fresh water from the mountains, but your people do not drink from her, yes?"

Yugi shook his head. Palace water and local towns had wells where water was pulled from the ground, fresh and free of the Nile's waste, but it still had to be heated in Ra's purifying light for at least two days in clay pots or stone troughs before it was deemed pure enough to drink. Grinding beer from mead simply took less time.

"Atlantis is the same. The ocean's water is polluted with salt; the marsh with mud. There are waterfalls and streams from the mountains in the west and east, but the capital and south parts of the countries have no such luxury. They have to siphon it from elsewhere."

Yugi nodded, impressed by the technology. "It sounds complicated."

"It is," Rhebekka added. "But it existed since Atlantis was first built and has only improved since." She yawned suddenly, and cracked her spine. "I'm tired. Notify me if there's a bird." She flashed Timaeus a look. "I sent my husband one yester-eve. It should be arriving soon."

Timaeus rolled his eyes. "They can't fly at night, Rhebekka. None will arrive until dawn."

She ignored him. "As soon as it arrives." Then she was gone.

"Stubborn," Timaeus snapped.

Overhead, the sun hung low in the sky; gossamer threads of gold wove through vibrant orange and scarlet before giving way to the deep purples and blues of the coming night. Nut's star-speckled dress cloaked the sky, though the Locrians believed it was in fact a cloak from the dream god Morpheus. Yugi fought down a yawn. Had the day truly ended so quickly?

Timaeus smiled at the cute sound and whistled for Raphael to take his place.

He wrapped his arms around Yugi in a tight embrace once they were alone. "We're almost home, love," he whispered. "Just one more day. Then we'll be in Locri."

Yugi smiled and fought down a blush. His heart hammered in his chest.

 _Home_. The word echoed vibrantly in his mind even as his heart continued to pound. He realized he no longer meant Kemet.

A new home.

In a new place.

With new people.

New rules.

A new culture.

A home and a life he had only a vague inkling of.

His gaze wandered once more to the aquatic world on the other side of the ship: all rivers and waterways, and sea and sky, and round chaotic-like places and buildings. It was so different from Kemet.

Kemet, he felt a wave of homesickness and uncertainty bubble in his belly for. Kemet with its own sea of vast, golden sands, of hard dusty roads and quadrilateral towns, and contrasting worlds of dry, endless sand, and lush green river banks. The two worlds were so different, though both were dependent on their rivers: Kemet was tellurium in its culture and nature; Atlantis and Locri was all lacustrine tors and interstitial rivers. Would it ever feel like home?

A gentle squeeze of his hand reminded him he was not alone.

"What are you thinking?" Timaeus asked, emerald eye shadowed with concern and its pearly twin just as bright.

Yugi couldn't help but smile. Had he been so obvious? Or did Timaeus truly know him so well?

"Just thinking about tomorrow..." He squeezed Timaeus' hand tightly. "And everything."

The embrace came as a surprise, but Yugi welcomed the affection.

"You have nothing to fear, _agape mou._ My Yugi, I'll be with you."

He placed a soft kiss to Yugi's brow. The boy responded with a bright smile and allowed himself to be carried back to the Great Cabin.

X X X

Timaeus woke to an empty bed the following dawn.

Shocked awake when his outstretched arm reached for the warm flesh of his consort and felt only cold crisp sheets, he shot up and spun around the room. The water closet was empty and Yugi's clothes were gone. Had the boy let him sleep longer? His gaze swept the room, and fell on the window and the darkness outside. Dawn peeped over the black sea in rich red ribbons of color flaked by streaks of gold. Just before dawn. He hadn't overslept.

He rose, dressed quickly, and began the search. It was Rhebekka's turn in the kitchens so he wouldn't be there. Otogi had long since returned to duty and no one else needed medical treatment. The tonics Yugi enjoyed making were well-stocked.

He stepped into the Great Cabin, found it empty of Yugi's presence, but Ryou was there pouring over their maps and making chalets. Rhebekka sat in the corner, untying a message written on tiny paper and tied to the foot of a messenger bird.

"Ryou. Rhebekka," he addressed them separately.

Ryou looked up and flashed a smile. "I believe he's on deck."

"He's at the bow," Rhebekka chimed in without looking, and pinioned the bird's wings with her hands and started for the door.

"Something about wanting to see the sunrise." She stood, patiently waiting for someone to open it.

Timaeus rolled his eyes and let her out.

He found his husband standing on the bow, watching the sunrise and enjoying the view. Dawn had just broken. Pale orange and pink of daybreak meshed with the deep red and purple of the previous night, casting a flaming alpenglow across the horizon. His slender figure of his lover was silhouetted against it all, glowing in the daylight.

He snuck upon him quietly and wrapped his arms about him. With a squeal of surprise, Yugi spun him his arms and half-laughed, half-glared when he saw who it was.

"Couldn't sleep, my love?" he asked.

Yugi frowned. "No, just thinking."

"About what?" Timaeus prodded gently.

Yugi hesitated to answer. The moment suddenly upon him, excitement and apprehension battled for control of his thoughts and feelings like a kaleidoscope of butterflies. Invisible cocoons were hatching into them in his stomach, and he felt every bash and flutter of their desperate wings, but he felt surprisingly light.

He'd grown so used to the steady routine on the ship—to the calm, easy playfulness of it—that the sudden realization that it was all about to change unnerved him. So much had changed and happened already, his and Timaeus' every growing relationship and the relaxed order of _The Eye_ , and it had all fallen into its own ordered universe. And Yugi had fought and found his place in that universe and now, just as with Kemet, it was all about to change once again.

Timaeus had done well to educate him, but there was still so much he didn't understand. Little things, trivial things really, but those trivial things spiraled into much larger, more complex questions that had no answers and swirled into a thick, heavy pit in his belly. It quickly turned sour and Yugi felt himself shake.

"Yugi?" Timaeus felt the change at once and held him tight. "Don't be afraid. If you're uncertain of anything, we can wait until you're—"

Yugi shot up and shook his head. "No, no," he said quickly and pulled away. "It isn't that." Yugi sighed and felt his opposite shoulder for a hand to squeeze.

Timaeus frowned. The clarification did nothing to settle him. Leaning close, he lifted Yugi's chin and rubbed the soft cheek with his thumb. His face was a soft smile. "Then what troubles you, my sweet?"

A cool, calm feeling bloomed and spread throughout Yugi's limbs and he couldn't help but smile back. Timaeus was so close that his warm words whispered across Yugi's face soothed him and made his every nerve tremble in delight.

"It's just…" Yugi paused, struggling to find the right words. "We are almost there—at Locri. And there is still so much I don't know about what it is like and what I'm supposed to do. What if I fail?"

Timaeus looked deep into his amaranthine eyes and fixed him with a fond look before bringing him into his arms. "Is that what you're afraid of?" he chuckled and lifted him up. Yugi yelped and blushed. At this angle, he could look nowhere else but down at Timaeus, memorizing every line and curve of his smile, each sharp angle of his cheek, every inch of adoration and pride beaming in that brilliant emerald eye while its pearlescent twin winked in agreement. What else could he do but blush?

"You will do wonderfully," Timaeus whispered, warm and soft against his cheek. "I've seen you grow from a stubborn, simpering whelp to a strong and passionate Quartermaster who cares for all those in his care like a lioness for her pride." The reference to his old self made him grimace, but the comparison to Sekhmet once again made him blush. Timaeus only chuckled and lowered Yugi into his arms, delighting just how perfectly the little one's soft, pale shape molded against his.

Yugi flushed. "I'll disappoint them. I have not to wear but one silk gown and you're smallest armor. I'll look like a scurry rat."

"Do not speak such things," Timaeus chided and playfully cupped Yugi's rump. "You are beautiful and no force on earth can make you less so."

A smile crept across Yugi's face, and despite himself, his cheeks brightened even more.

"Rest not love, Rhebekka and I will see to your apparel. We'll not have you stumbling into Locri looking anything less than stunning."

Yugi gave a soft laugh at that, but said nothing and looked away.

Timaeus brushed his cheek and lifted his face. Pearl and emerald eyes, warm and loving like the warmth and promise of the rising sun, glazed over him.

"Locri will adore you, just as I do—just as Rhebekka and my men do—and I have no doubt you will come to love them just as you do here. And in time, I hope perhaps you'll come to love Locri as much as you've loved Kemet. And whatever else, never forget..." He leaned in close and for a moment, Yugi thought he was going to kiss him, but instead, he looked deep into Yugi's eyes and promised, "I will be right by your side."

A warm, bright feeling bloomed in Yugi's chest and spread throughout his limbs, filling him with an almost-heartbreaking relief. He could hold back no longer, and hugged Timaeus tight around his neck, smiling like a child. Timaeus returned it affectionately, and set Yugi down, smiling.

"Come, let us feast and I shall explain further." He took Yugi's hand and the younger held it tight.

X X X

They broke their fast on fruits, dried fish, and sweets before the lesson continued. Shifts had been scheduled and posted earlier that morning, and every man was alerted to their daily goals: Timaeus has left specific instructions that _The Eye_ remain in constant motion until she reached home. His and Yugi's own shifts had been specifically chosen to give them time to prepare for the younger's upcoming ceremony, welcoming the return of the Trierarch and the introduction of his new bride.

By the end of it, Yugi quickly realized that—just as Timaeus had promised—he would have an entirely new wardrobe once they arrived in Locri. He would need, he learned, a separate collection for everything: decorative ceremonial attire for festivals, ceremonies, balls, and entertaining; as well as another, plainer, set for daily chores and duties; leggings and cloaks for travel outside the manor; and even a different outfit for his nursing duties. There would be separate top and bottoms and dresses, brocades and cottons, leggings and cloaks, nightwear and small clothes—all of which there would be two sets: one for warmer and one for colder seasons. Colors and fabrics would be fashioned for the corresponding occasion. Embroideries would come later.

Shoes also fell into this category. Unlike Kemet, where he only had his daily oxen sandals and a separate pair for ceremonial occasions, his Magistrate position requires separate pairs for indoor and outdoor chores, relaxing indoors, traveling outside the manor, pleasing his husband, dancing, festival attendance, and political meetings. A wardrobe such as this was befitting his status—and larger and more diverse than any he recalled having as an heir in Kemet.

Most important and bewildering would be the inclusion of sleeves. Particularly long-sleeves.

"Sleeves?" Yugi asked, perplexed by the concept.

"They are a status symbol," Timaeus explained with a patient smile. Doubtless the concept was foreign to one from a hot climate, where such features were rare. "The higher one's rank, the longer their sleeves are." He gestured to his own armor as an example. "As Magistrate, yours would reach your wrists, or perhaps even drape as far as your knuckles or even cover your hands."

Yugi looked at his wrists and their coverings. "That sounds impractical."

"Which is why you will have different styles for each duty." He set down his utensils and wove his fingers together. "Your normal attire will feature the solid style common to my fashion, but your ceremonial dress will require more decorative sleeves." He tried to illustrate the style with his hands. "These will be separate from your actual attire to drape your shoulders, tied and adjusted with ribbons depending on the occasion and who is attending."

Yugi tried to imagine it, but only managed to confuse himself further. He looked at his own attire again.

"Is that why this one is long-sleeved?" Yugi asked, gesturing to the silk top's bell-like sleeves falling to his slim wrist.

Timaeus nodded. "Be proud of them. They mark your status as the highest-possible. Do not forget that rank, my love." Something beamed in his eyes. Pride. Admiration. Perhaps both.

Yugi smiled, agreeing. Then a thought occurred to him.

"What about the King?" Yugi questioned. Had they touched the subject of royal attire? "Each time I saw you in the presence of the King, your garb had long sleeves?" He finished his cabbage and moved on to the dried pomegranate seeds.

"Well," Timaeus chuckled, pausing only to wipe soup from his chin. He rested his chin in his palm before continuing, his smile wicked with delight. "There are exceptions to every rule, love. In this instance, I was in my armor, and if you will recall, I was also wearing my gauntlets." He held his free hand up for inspection. "Thus, you could not tell the length of my sleeves at all. It is the custom for soldiers, need we forget our place beneath the King."

"I see," Yugi lowered his lashes, suddenly feeling seductive. He shifted his chair slightly, and slid his body closer so his fingers brushed Timaeus' arm. "And what is my place?" Yugi teased.

Carnal instincts setting his blood on fire, Timaeus snatched Yugi's wrist. Momentarily paralyzing Yugi, until his lips curled into a smile, waiting for a reaction. A little tug was all he needed and Yugi would be in his arms, and a little push and his back would be against the table, and if he leaned a little closer his lips would be on Yugi's—

Timaeus stopped before his thoughts went any further. Gods, what this little imp did to him without him even realizing.

"Your place," he leaned closer, eyes blazing and voice low and sultry, "is at my side: as my Magistrate. My Consort, my Lover, and all that it implies."

Flashing a smirk that matched his own, Yugi wasted no more time and kissed him, drowning almost instantly in the rich, pungent taste of salt and sea and spice that was Timaeus. The rush that went through him when Timaeus kissed him back was like a gale of storms, filling him with air and then stealing it from him in an instant. He felt breathless and dazed. Like his very spirit had been awaken and stolen with a single spell. Yugi's eyes fluttered closed and he wondered what it would be like to feel this way all the time.

Timaeus did not hesitate and pulled Yugi into his arms, deepening it with twice as much fervor. Yugi tasted like spices and sweetness—of the excitement of the desert and the joyful promise of rain. Yugi did not resist and only pulled him closer, almost wishing Timaeus would push him up against something so his legs would feel less unstable. He got his wish when he felt his back hit the table, and Timaeus' arm wrapped around his waist. Yugi's arms tightened around him, and he felt that familiar carnal flame return, like an all-consuming desire—to taste, to touch, to feel. To touch, taste, and feel _Yugi_. As his hands roamed and his fingers tightened over soft flesh and smooth silks, he wondered if this was how a lioness felt when she first tasted blood.

They pulled away only for a second before kissing again. Timaeus kissed him with so much ferocity that when Yugi felt his back hit the wood of the table, he surrendered with a laugh of triumph. Yugi was not shy either, Timaeus realized, smirking into their kiss. No timid maid was his beautiful bride. So bold and beautiful and his. _Only his_ , he realized with a swell of pride. Only _he_ would see Yugi like this, touch Yugi like this, make him feel the things he felt now—only he and no one else.

Yugi opened his eyes when Timaeus pulled his lips away; met with blazing dark eyes that glowed wild like embers, skin flushed with carnal heat, and a curled smirk revealing what Yugi could've easily mistaken for fangs. Yugi nearly gasped with pride. He recognized the fire burning in those eyes. He'd seen in it those fleeting moments they were together when Timaeus' mask would slip. When all his masks would slip, leaving nothing but the uninhibited, passionate, and fiercely wild man that lay beneath. He was not a man. Not a knight, not a dragon. No, he was just Timaeus. And he was all his. That fact, that Timaeus would never give himself to anyone but him—that only Yugi could and would bring this version of him to the surface—made him feel light and strong and powerful.

To hell with anyone else, this was what he wanted. What he needed.

Timaeus pulled away, voice low and eyes clouded with a lust Yugi has never seen before. "What have you done to me?" He could not tell if it was rhetoric or serious.

Yugi's answer was a deliberate smile. He pushed himself up, sitting on the table, and at this angle, their heights matched. He took the man's collar in his hands and met his gaze with eyes just as dark and just as blazing. "I could ask you the same thing."

Timaeus only smiled. "Fret not, love. We shall be in Locri soon."

Yugi understood at once what he meant: the realization both terrifying and exhilarating and the urge to throw caution to the wind was strong—as was the overwhelming torturous wait counting down the moments.

As if sensing his nervousness in the way he always did, Timaeus chuckled, wrapped his arms around Yugi's waist, and pulled him closer. His eyes burned with lust and love. Leaning to place a gentle kiss on Yugi's lips, just close enough for the younger to decide its direction.

Yugi would never get the chance to decide.

The door swung open. The force so great it recoiled with a loud bang. Both men jumped and spun. The moment was lost. Timaeus whirled on the interloper, standing by the door, hair and eyes wild. A piece of parchment crumpled in her hand.

"Rhebekka!? What the abyss has—"

"She knows, Timaeus," Rhebekka hissed, cutting off any uncertainty.

Timaeus froze in an instant. Yugi blinked, his still mind recovering from the daze, as well as the sudden waking—head spinning to make sense of who _she_ was.

"And she has for almost a week!" Rhebekka warned, words low and furious. Her fingers writhed at the sides. She revealed the crumpled paper and dropped it on the table.

"Someone told her... She knows!" The girl swallows a shriek and wove her hands through her tied-up hair.

Timaeus was unsure whether to be terrified or furious. Exploding a breath halfway between a whine and a growl, he pressed a curled thumb and forefinger to his temple and demanded, "Who was it?" He didn't need to elaborate further.

Rhebekka said nothing but her nose scrunched. The disappointed frown spoke of her ignorance.

"It was Critias." A small voice alerted them like battle fire, and they spun to its source.

Yugi stood by the doorway, his expression neutral. "You're talking about the Princess, correct? Christina? She was your lover once." It wasn't a question.

A pain etched in Timaeus' chest, wondering how Yugi had known and imagining what he must've thought of his reaction to his former lover finding out about his wife.

Yugi only gave him a comforting smile. "I assume, out of respect to your past friendship, you wanted to tell Princess Christina about me in person, but now, that is no longer an option. If someone told her, it was Critias." He spoke with a darkness to his tone.

The worst part was that Timaeus knew he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll do my best tp keep to my two=week bi=weekly updates but as of now i make no promises (the holidays are crazy) so for noww expect an update anywhere between December 18th and December 23rd. I WILL get at least one up before the holidays
> 
> Next Time: The Eye of Timaeus arrived in Locri. The city is alive with excitement as their Magistrate returns, and eagerness to meet and greet his new pride, and on the jerry docks an uninvited guest makes her appearance and the balance of power is about to shift...can Yugi survive his first day in Locri?
> 
> As always read, reply, critique, post theories, ask questions and go nuts! Flames must have a reason and critiques are encouraged!


	53. Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of Timaues' careful planning and hopes for their arrival come crashing down in one foul swoop. How will Yugi react and can Tim trust him with the truth?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JUST AS I PROMISED! I GOT THIS UP IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! HAPPY HANUKAH! HAPPY KWANZAA! HAPPY YULE AND ALL THE OTHER HOLIDAYS THIS MAGICAL WINTER SEASON!
> 
> Dedication: Special thanks to Armanthine Ispwich, my wonderful Grammar Knight who got this done and back to me today! I love you girl!
> 
> Special thanks to Val for being the best beta ever!
> 
> This is my Christmas Present to everyone ;) and there's a little surprise at the end ;) ENJOY!

_Chapter LIII: Affairs_

It had to be Critias.

As much as he wanted to believe that his comrade—his very brother-in-arms—wasn't capable of such treachery, there was no other word to describe it. Timaeus knew no one else could've committed the crime. The King had respected his decision to wait until his return to Locri to introduce Yugi to the rest of his royal family—out of both respect to his former lover's friendship and to give her a sense of closure, as well. And, as Dartz had added, it would do her and Locri well to see he did not choose Yugi out of any political reasoning, but out of affection—regardless of how the marriage actually took place. Ultimately, however, he felt it was just more honorable than some secondhand message that was cold and conveyed no emotion. The king would not have approved that. Hermos has remained perpetually indifferent to Timaeus' decision of marriage and respected his choices as his own, to which Timaeus was grateful. Of them all, Critias was the only one that showed any real hostility towards Yugi. Timaeus wasn't naive. He'd seen the glares—the mocking sneers and whispers of resentment. 

He'd also made his feelings on the subject perfectly clear to the man before they left, taking advantage of Yugi's much needed valediction with his family.

Locri knew better than to heed the nonsense of clishmaclaver, especially those gossiping of their Magistrate's sexual misadventures. But if Rhebekka's words were true and these words came from their Princess… How could they be viewed as anything other than the truth?

 Timaeus exhaled a heavy sigh, like he had aged ten years. “Tell us everything, Rhebekka."

She presented a crinkled note, where it lay splayed across the table. “He sent a bird.” She did not need to name who wrote it. "Princess Christina is currently residing in Locri and has been for the better part of a week. She claims she is seeing to Locri's affairs in the absence of _her_ Trierarch.”

"She _what!?_ " Timaeus barked, exasperated with rage. “Why were we not told sooner?!”

Rhebekka did not flinch. Then she produced a second note from the fold of her bodice. “This is his second message. The first was sent a little over a ten-day ago.”

Timaeus swore. Over a ten-day. Just before the first storm—the storm that cost them two day’s travel.

Timaeus resisted the urge to swear again and groaned. "What else?"

She hesitated, casting a sideways glance at Yugi that did not go unnoticed. Guilty apology burned in Timaeus’ eyes, but the boy’s expression was unreadable.

Yugi closed his eyes, then opened them, frowning. "Please, enough with the formalities." The pair spun to him. His face was neutral but his eyes flickered with something that clearly was not. "I know you’re both trying to spare my feelings, but I don’t need you two to protect me. Whatever is happening right now, I, more than anyone else, need to know about it,” he said firmly.

Rhebekka bit her lip, skeptical. Timaeus frowned but nodded. “Tell us everything, Rhebekka.”

She sighed. "It seems news of your recent nuptials reached Atlantis quicker than expected.” She paused. “However, since the identity of your consort was kept in the strictest confidence until our return, _someone_ …" She didn't need to name who that someone was. She paused before she spoke again. "… _misread_ the information. And thus acted on it."

"Misread nothing," Timaeus snapped, aggravated. "She heard and saw only what she wanted to." He rubbed his brow with an exasperated sigh. "What is happening in my province, Rhebekka?"

She took a breath. “News of your and Yugi’s recent nuptials _had_ reached Locri as planned and the country has been engaged in planning the celebration, but at your and the king’s request, Yugi’s identity was kept secret. A week ago, the Princess arrived unexpectedly—claimed she was there to oversee the affairs. At first, it was believed she was there to aid in the celebration, but it quickly became clear she misunderstood the marriage.” She paused, frowning. “He was forced to tell her the truth of the matter that you were already married, but would not say to who.” She chose her next words carefully. "She disliked the truth, but was adamant about remaining to see to Locri’s affairs. He’s done his best to stall her influence and dispel the rumors that it was actually _she_ you were set to marry, but… somehow news of Yugi’s identity was revealed and—” She stopped suddenly and cast Yugi a glance.

“She assumed our marriage was a political arrangement rather than a true marriage,” Yugi answered for her, voice caustic. His eyebrows knitted together and his fists clenched. “And now she’s set on convincing the whole province.”

She did not answer. She did not need to.

“It _was_ Critias, wasn’t it?” Yugi asked, but it wasn’t really a question.

Timaeus watched him, eyes flashing with guilt, then he sighed. “According to our reports, _The Great Leviathan_ did not arrive until half a ten-day ago. _The Claw of Hermos_ arrived the day after and sailed North without stopping. Only one ship arrived sooner.” Timaeus fingers clenched. “Damn him. Damn him for putting the idea in her head.”

He watched Yugi, who stood unflinching, and he wanted nothing more than to take his hand, but Timaeus found himself unable to move. What he must be thinking? _Feeling?_ Having come so far, having grown so much, so eager to earn the trust and love of his new people… Only to have it stolen from him before he could even stepped off their ship.

“Oh, she _tried_ ,” Rhebekka chuckled heartily. The two spun to her, their faces painted with bemusement. Rhebekka’s smile curled, and she gestured to the second letter—the one that had come just this morning. “But you forget: _The Great Leviathan_ sailed for Locri, not the Capital.”

She presented the note. Timaeus snatched it and read it quickly. His eyes smiled but his face remained stern. Yugi peeked curiously over his shoulder. Timaeus surrendered the letter.

“It seems my First was wise enough to contact the King as soon as _The Leviathan_ arrived,” he summarized. Yugi only half-listened and half-read the letter, but processed everything.

He smiled and read aloud. _“‘The King, it is my pleasure to report  that I have curved the excitement of the Locrian people back towards the arrival of_ _the Trierarch and his new consort, who, the King reported, is eager to introduce his’_ —” Yugi froze, and blushed at the words.

Timaeus peeked over his shoulder and smiled softly. _“‘His true love to his people, and had arranged a celebration in accordance with our Atlantian tradition to welcome home the Magister and the newly-crowned Magistrate. The union is expected to play out as we planned, but the Princess has adamantly chosen to remain as the Royal Family’s Representative, as the King is acting Mediator for the two parties.’_ ” He finished reading and heaved a frustrated sigh of relief. “Thank the Lords for that.”

“I don’t understand why everyone is so quick to assume the worst of me,” Yugi snapped crushing the paper in his palm.

Timaeus wasted no time and squeezed his hand. “It is not you, Yugi.” He sank the assurance into Yugi’s name. “The King and I hoped introducing you to my people in person would avoid such a scandal.”

“Aye,” Rhebekka snorted out, her nose like an angry dragon. “What’s infuriating is that the information was _leaked_.” She stressed the word like it was some dark secret. “Makes it seem like we were trying to hide something we’re not. Thank God the King knows the truth.”

“Does he…?” Yugi asked hesitantly.

They blinked when he looked at them.

Yugi frowned and looked away. “He’s not seen either of us since our…” He bit his lip, unable to say the word. Not when it caused so much grief. “When our marriage contract was signed. I know I did not leave him with much promise…”

“Oh, _that_ you have nothing to fear,” Rhebekka chuckled.

Timaeus eye’s narrowed. “Rhebekka…” He sank the command into her name—low and dangerously calm. “What did you say?”

“Nothing of consequence.” She smiled. “I simply sent birds to my husband and King that our beloved Dragon Knight and our equally-beloved Kemet prince had finally mended their bonds. And I can say, just by looking at you once we arrive, not a soul in Locri will believe this was solely a political union.” She chuckled like a village girl with a new secret.

Timaeus rolled his eyes. His gaze fell on Yugi, but the smaller one had yet to lift his gaze. His grip on Timaeus’ hand loosened and he did nothing to tighten it. Timaeus frowned, his chest tight with worry.

“Rhebekka, would you excuse us for a moment?”

She dismissed herself with a nod, but not before casting Yugi a sad expression.

When the door closed, Yugi pulled his hand away and wandered towards the window. His gaze looked out over the canals, hills, and buildings that, not an hour earlier, filled him with joy. Now he stared at them with dazed and unfocused eyes.

Timaeus stepped behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, but otherwise made no other effort to console him.

“You're upset,” he said, softly gazing into Yugi’s shadowed amethyst eyes reflected in the window glass.  He struggled for words, but nothing that his mind conjured sounded good enough to not be an excuse.

“Did you love her?” Yugi asked suddenly.

Timaeus blinked.

Yugi did not turn to look at him. “I assumed out of respect to your friendship with her, you wanted to tell the Princess about me in person. I understand that… but I know nothing about your relationship with her… or with anyone, and…” Yugi paused, his fingers scratching the glass. Then he spun to him, but his gaze did not reach Timaeus’ eyes. “I heard the stories and the rumors, but everything I know I heard secondhand. I did not ask you about it because it was all from the past and did not matter anymore. It still doesn’t. Not to me. But Tim…” He trailed off, his voice suddenly quiet.

And there it was—the very thing Timaeus had been terrified would happen. Yugi knew Timaeus had other lovers before they’d met. Timaeus knew _he’d_ had lovers before they’d met, even if none of them were as intimate. But they had been foreign and distant. Part of a past that had no bearing on the future. Nothing more than a mystery to tease and dangle, never flesh and blood. Never something whole and alive that could threaten what was ready to bloom like a cold, dry wind.

He had respected Yugi enough not to mention them, and Yugi had trusted him enough not to ask, but now, faced with the fact… It didn’t stun Yugi how unsurprised he was that Timaeus and the Princess were lovers in the past. A past that she had privy to but he knew nothing about and had no hope of understanding. What _did_ surprise him was how much that fact hurt.

Timaeus swooped forward like a sudden warm breeze and clasped his hand. The squeeze was gentle and not tight, but the comfort was enough. Yugi looked up and met Timaeus’ grave face, but his eyes were burning.

“When we renewed our bonds, we promised each other honesty,” he said, neutral but grave. He took Yugi’s hand, guided him to the couch by the window, and sat him down. The grip on his hand did not loosen. “I have no intention of breaking that promise now.” His eyes softened and he expelled a heavy sigh. “And here it is,” he paused before speaking. “Yes, Yugi, I was her lover once, when I was young and foolish.”

“Was that all it was?” Yugi remarked sadly. “The way everyone spoke, you intended to marry her.”

"No!” Timaeus cut him off, voice raised and angry and so sudden Yugi almost jumped.

Timaeus saw his expression and regained control of his self. His guilty gaze met the floor. “Forgive me, Yugi.” He took a breath before continuing. "You asked me if I loved her. I won't deny I loved her once. At least, at the time, I did,” Timaeus confessed. “Or thought I did. Do not misunderstand, she was not my first lover, nor was I hers, but I was a stranger in Atlantis—angry and bitter and I trusted no one, not even the King who saved me. Christina was the first one to make me feel welcome. The first time I felt true companionship. Because of it, we both believed our bond was more than what it was.”

 At first, Yugi said nothing, only listened.  “And what was it?” he asked suddenly.

“A closeness,” Timaeus confessed. “That was all. It was not long before I realized my mistake. I mistook kindness for affection and friendship for love.”

He stopped and looked at Yugi.  “Please, do not think… I never intended to hide this from you. It was…” He stopped, unable to finish the sentence. He sighed quietly. “As you said, it was all in the past. Those feelings are gone. I don’t want them to affect our relationship now.”

He stopped, waiting. Yugi’s face struggled with emotions, his fingers writhing into fists. All he could manage was a nod. “When did it end?” he finally asked.

Timaeus fixed him with a sad smile and brushed away golden locks.  "Long before Locri, I assure you.”

“And why didn’t you…” Hurt dulled his lotus-blue eyes, and when he spoke again, his voice cracked. “…want to marry her, I mean?” Yugi bit his lip, almost unsure if he wanted to know the answer.

Timaeus did not pause. “I did not want to.” He said it so sternly, Yugi wondered just how many times he’d had to explain this part of the story. “I won’t deny that Christina and I were close—perhaps closer than we should’ve been. It was easy to notice the affection between us. Everyone knew of it and the King thought well of it, but it was always the court and crew who thought it more than what it was. But I knew what marriage to her meant. I’m not naïve. I know my men thought of her when I married you. I know they wish and wanted me as their King, but I had no desire to be a king or a consort. I am content to rule Locri and run my ship. Nor did I wish for a marriage that was one of companionship and not love. I knew it would bring us no happiness, nor did I wish to burden my oldest friend with the knowledge that she loved me but I did not love her. To do so would’ve been cruel. I’d hoped to still have her friendship, but I knew it was not possible then."

"Why not?" Yugi asked.

"Her feelings were much stronger than mine and had not faded with truth and time as mine had. I knew only time apart could return us to what we once were." He rubbed his face with an aggravated sigh. “Again, I was mistaken.”

Yugi nodded. His face curved into a small, sad smile. “I think I’m beginning to understand.”

Timaeus smiled back. Gently, he cupped Yugi’s cheek and lifted his face. “I’d hoped to tell you about her sooner, but after our botched wedding, I did not wish to upset you. And then we were always sparring.” He couldn’t help but chuckle. “And whenever we seemed to make progress, we’d spat again.”

Yugi giggled at that, almost nostalgic. “That was a difficult time for both of us,” he said tenderly. Timaeus’ grip on his hand had not loosened; Yugi squeezed it reassuringly. “I’m glad you didn’t tell me then. It would’ve have made a difficult situation harder.”

He squeezed Tim’s hand again. The question lingered on his tongue, terrified to be put out into the world. But ask it, he must. “And… what is she to you now?”

It struck him then. _Great Leviathan_. Timaeus almost blanched. Yugi was _jealous_. The thought exalted him, but at the same time, he would not let it stand between them. Timaeus shifted to his knees and released Yugi’s hand, and for a moment, his heart sank. Then Timaeus advanced on him, seized his shoulders, and met Yugi’s gaze with grim determination. The intensity in his eyes and voice was almost frightening.

 "I will not deny that I loved her—and that I love her still. But not in the same way.” The severity left no doubt of what he meant. “Not in bed. Not like this. My love for her then was the way I love her now: as my princess who I swore to protect, and the friend who showed me hope when I had none. The same way I love the King, both as my Lord and Ruler and the man who saved me—” He stopped to catch his breath, but it was ragged and loud. His grip was strong and his eyes were wild and ardent with passion. “But not in the same way,” he said adamantly, his voice all breath. "Not in the way I love you."

Yugi's eyes shot open wide with surprise and pleasure. The words pierced his heart like arrows. One thing he'd learn from his sisters and past experience was that men hated falling in love—or at least, admitting that they were. They fought it, explained it away, and called it desire, or passion, or lust. Anything but love—anything than admit their weakness for a woman and giving her power over them. It was enough for most women to experience tender moments and acts of kindness, looks of adoration, and sweet embraces. To engage in witty conversations, soft kisses and nights of passion. To have the secret pleasure of knowing their husbands were in love with them, or at least adored them, even if they never spoke the actual words. For Timaeus, whose secrets ran deep and whose trust was so fragile even if his heart was so open… To not only _admit_ to such feelings, but to speak them so boldly, so passionately... It was almost too much for Yugi to bear.

“You…” He almost choked. He wiped his eyes. “You love me?"

He waited skeptically, expecting Timaeus to balk and explain it away. Instead, Timaeus smiled. That same warm smile he only used with him. "Yes, Yugi, I do. I do love you." 

Yugi launched himself into his arms before he could stop himself. This man was his, truly and irrevocably _his_ , and the doubts that may have kept him from seeing such truth shriveled and died away like a withering poisonous flower. Timaeus squeezed him tightly, and he suddenly felt mad and giddy and drunk with power. “Good,” he said, emboldened, and squeezed back. “Because whomever you may have courted in the past is irrelevant—you’re mine now.” He pulled away. Possessiveness made his eyes glitter bright and blue, and he declared boldly, “And I have no intention of sharing.”

Timaeus stared back, stunned—the bold passion of the words sparking like a lit match, and he resisted the burning, insatiable urge to kiss him. Instead, he chuckled, lips curling into a smile. “I’ll be hanged if that’s not jealousy I hear in your voice.”

Yugi’s eyes flickered nervously for an instant, then a smile slit his face. “And if it is?” He crossed his arms, almost pouting, but the smile did not fade.

Timaeus chuckled. “Then no matter,” he purred, leaning close until their blazing eyes met and his words were a ghost hovering over Yugi’s lips. “Because _I_ have _no_ intention of giving _you_ up.”

He would’ve kissed him then, but the gloom of the situation returned to haunt him, and with a sigh, he groaned. “Now… what shall we do to salvage the situation?”

Yugi frowned, more a disappointed pout than anything else, but his brows narrowed and he considered thoughtfully. Then an idea sparked in his mind and his eyes flickered. “I think…” He turned to his Magister with a smile. “I have an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just to clarify, the plan was to keep Tim's marriage a secret until Dartx got home and could informthe Royal Family of the event, take everyone to Locri and then Tim and Yugi could tell everyone in person (so as of now they knew their Trierarch was coming home and were prepared to celebrate and that "something else" was going to happen but not what-Critias, unfortunately, spilled the beans leading Cristina to act on her own. Dartz found this out when he arrived and immediately set everything right claring up the confusion, unfortunately this means they had to reveal that Timaeus is married and he's bringing his bride home-the objective of course to avoid exactly what Cristina now doubt things right now: that this was purely a political marriage and arrangement...hope that clarifies it a bit.
> 
> Chapter Notes
> 
> Little history on messenger birds. I did an extensive amount of research on this for historical sake and was very careful NOT to describe the bird itself for that reason, but apparently messenger birds, specifically carrier pigeons or messenger pigeons. The homing Pigeon being he favorite because of its unique homing ability to find and return to its nest. Domestication and use of these birds began as early as 3,000 BCE, and yes they even had them in Ancient Egypt. Fantasy stories often use Ravens, but in actuality it was crows that possessed incredible memories, connotative skills, ability to use tools and communication skills necessary to recall memory information from youth and even learn from their parents. Problem is Crows tend to swarm in flocks and share the information among each other (ravens are more solitary) whereas Pigeons all have a unique nest. Records of these birds exist in Egypt, Persia, Israel, Greece, china and many other countries. Ancient Egyptian would use Pigeons in order to announce the rise of the nNew Pharaoh. I felt it made perfect sense that Atlantis would be part of that advancement in communication. The way the process works is merchants, warships, even royal barrages would have cages of homing pigeons on board with them and would write messages on papers that the birds would then take back "home" to their native country and court. The problem is homing Pigeons can finds their way home, but just that. So if a bird was sent from a ship it could find its way back to the land but it wouldn't be able to find its way back to ship, thus messages were normally one-sides and reserved for important codes, but it wasn't uncommon for countries to raise pigeons in their native country and send them out to other countries for correspondence so it was possible to send back and forth correspondence.
> 
> And on that...SURPRISE CONFESSION! ENJOY!
> 
> HAVE A WONDERFUL MAGICAL HOLIDAY EVERYONE AND MAY YOUR DAYS BE FILLED WITH HOPE, LOVE, WISHES, MAGIC, CHEER AND REMEMBER TO GIVE AND BE KIND TO OTHERS AND KEEP THE SPIRIT OF HOPE CLOSE TO YOUR HEART!
> 
> HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!


	54. Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Princess and her Knights confront the interloper, Yugi makes his appearance at Locri with some surprising results, and the Eye of Timaeus finally returns home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Hope that was worth the wait. Good news the next chapter is DONE just needs to be edited so HOPEFULLY that will be up faster than this one (all depends on my and my Knight's schedules)
> 
> Now...I know all of you probably have formed your own opinion on Christina right now, but PLEASE do not judge her too harshly...she DOES have a reason for the way shes acting. Think of it like that Taylor Swift Song speak now...only Cris is Swift and Yugi is the bitch bride who has Timaeus so wrapped around his fingers he can;t see the truth though he is clearly unhappy-or at least that's Cris' opinion. Ah, the wonders of perspective.
> 
> As Always, read, review, reply, critique, comment, rant, ask questions, suggestions are always welcome and flames will be ignored.
> 
> NEXT TIME: In which there is a Procession, the new Magistrate is received by the people, a boat ride occurs and Yugi is finally introduced to his new home.

_Chapter LIV: Princess_

Princess Cristina waited on the jetty of the Locrian pier with crossed arms and an impatiently-tapping foot. The whole of Locri stood behind her, exuberant and eager for the arrival of their Magister and his new Magistrate. They stood bright-faced and curious, with baskets of breads and cakes, streamers and noisemakers, and all the requirements necessary for a lively merrymaking. A shame it would all go to waste, she thought. But her father had been very clear in his adamancy. The moment _The Great Leviathan_ docked at Locri's shore before returning to the capital in the middle of Locri's celebration with his own daughter at the helm, he'd made quick work of the "misunderstanding" as he'd dubbed it in an obvious scolding of her "rash and misguided" efforts. Her cheeks dusted with red and the line of her lips tightened, remembering that scolding.

With the word of their Magister's First that the bride's identity, at his request, was to be revealed on arrival and the King's blessing, the people quickly returned to their planning but with a much greater enthusiasm. Though it was not the Princess Bride they'd expected, this new bride breathed just as much mystery as the Magister himself, and surely it would have to be an unusual maiden for their Magister to marry so suddenly. All the King would reveal to them—and her father would tell her—was that it was a foreign prince who'd stolen their Lord's heart.

It was wishful thinking more than fact, Cristina convinced herself. She'd seen the apprehension on her father's face and judged it accordingly. She'd demanded to know if the union had been a love-match—declaring that he, at least, owed her that much of an explanation. Timaeus' First had bragged that it was, using his wife's letters as proof. The people were more than ready to believe their Trierarch had married for love. The King had only retained his neutral mask. "That is for the Trierarch to explain," he'd said evenly. She hadn't missed the way he'd neglected to say Timaeus' name—or the unease that flashed across his golden eyes. It only confirmed her suspicions, but it was all third-party speculation. The truth would not be known until _The Eye_ finally docked.

Never, in all her life, had she felt so eager.

But then, never in all her life did she think Timaeus would agree to a political marriage. Not when he was so convinced their own would be a poor one. It was a duty—a living embodiment of the treaty. It had to be. There was no other reason why Timaeus would marry a foreign royal and reject _her_.

She snorted at the thought like it was even a possibility. Kemet royals were notorious for inbreeding and hardly known for their appearances. Why else would they keep concubines and have multiple wives? She smirked a bit. And the Kemets were notorious for their singular tastes: hair always black and straight, eyes beady and dark, skin smooth and brown. Any differences were snuffed out with dyes and wigs, nothing unique or exotic about them. She almost pitied her beloved having to wed such a dull wife. Her father won't hear the end of it—she would make sure of it.

Faint and far away, _The Eye of Timaeus_ glowed on the horizon like a bright green star, and the whole of Locri crowded around the rock jetty with eager impatience. _The Great Leviathan_ , her father's own ship, sat along the far quay with the King at the helm—his face a mask of eager acknowledgement. On either side of him stood his two remaining Dragon Knights, their own ships docked further out— _The Claw of Hermos_ and _The Fang of Critias_. They were her allies, at least. Whatever her father refused to tell her, they had. From them, she'd grasped the details of _who_ precisely this new bride was. Critias could not have been more obvious in his dislike. According to him, the boy—the Prince—was a child—saucy, spoiled, selfish, and wholly unsuitable for The Pride of Atlantis. Hermos had been less harsh. As far as the boy was concerned, Hermos remained indifferent, but he did admit that he believed the boy was "too young and too inexperienced" and that Timaeus deserved a stronger consort. It has been enough for Cristina, who smirked approvingly. Not even docked, and already she was proving to be the superior choice. Yes, wholly unlikely the marriage would see through its second ceremony.

They awaited the arrival of the boat since mid-afternoon when a bird arrived bearing the Quartermaster's seal and signed in the Trierarch's own hand. That had been only a few hours ago, and now, the early evening sun hung low in the sky—an ecstasy of brightness ready to paint the canvas of the sky with romantic colors of the sunset. Perfectly timed for the ceremony, the celebration, and then the wedding feast, Timaeus' First had said—but it was _he_ who had translated the letter. It would have been romantic, Cristina thought, had the sun not insisted on shining until she would sweat. The air was cool, but the sun was hot and the long wait risked the last of Cristina's patience.

She saw a small crowd of people gather along the rock jetty as the all-too-familiar black and silver sails and emerald hull cleaved across the water like a dragonfly. Then the ship raised her sails. The crowd cheered in rapturous allure. _The Eye of Timaeus_ glided through the gray green water on billowing green and black wings. Then her oars stilled, dipped, and retracted. Slowly, the boat drifted towards the jetty. As it approached, she saw the familiar shapes of sailors work the riggings and lined the fore—a small army whose captain was the beautifully-carved emerald dragon, whose massive wings formed the ship's prow. More sailors lined the quay as they approached and reached for the mooring ropes. The men at the prow tossed them large cables. The others caught them with ease, pulled and dragged the boat in line against the opposite side of the quay. Familiar with the procedure, Cristina stepped aside and out of the way, eager for the arrival and for this farce to be over and done with.

From his own deck, her father turned to one of his generals, nodded, and made his exit. He descended the ship's stairs, Critias and Hermos on either side of him, and stood at her side. His face was a mask of indifference. His eyes narrowed when he caught her smiling face, but he said nothing.

 _The Eye_ ground to a halt, groaned, then stopped completely. The crowd stirred and jumbled as the families of the sailors, including Timaeus' First pushed and shoved their way forward. The gangplank was lowered and in Atlantian fashion, the soldiers descended the ship first, followed shortly by the four shipmasters, then the Quartermaster—who looked taller, fuller, and her face and smirk had a stronger glow to her than Cristina had remembered—then last of all was the Trierarch… and his bride. She swallowed the word like it was bile.

Timaeus stood at the head of the steps, all regal beauty and commanding authority. Fully dressed in his armor and mantle but his helm absent, he looked every inch the terrifying dragon the tales claimed, but a forelock of silver sovereignty crowned his black hair—a physical trait all on his own that spoke of his own royal status and connection before he'd even earned it. His face was sharper than she remembered. His skin was a bit darker, his height a head taller, but there was something about his eyes that bothered her. No longer did they carry the mask of indifference and cunning wit, nor was his smile the unreadable curl he used in public. His eyes had a sort of... brightness was the only way she could describe it, and his smile was less controlled and more relaxed, not plastered to deceive but genuinely real. More real, dare she even think it, than the smiles he had used for her.

She shook the thought away. The whole crowd turned to look at him, their eyes wide with impatient excitement, like small children eagerly awaiting a name-day gift.

Timaeus scanned the crowd with even eyes, then he turned to his side—as if none of them existed—and smiled. With a gentlemanly bow, he offered a hand to the creature still hidden within the ship.

She pretended not to notice the look of longing and anticipation in his eyes, and instead waited eagerly for the bride, a smirk settling on her face. A pale hand took Timaeus' and Cristina watched with arrogant fascination as he stepped forward, eager to point out every comparison in how the prince was inferior.

She sucked in a loud gasp of sheer horror.

The Prince was by no means ugly—and _far_ from plain. She could've told herself he was, but even the deepest part of her could not accept the lie, and as Timaeus led him by the hand down the gangplank, his beauty only appeared even more exotic. He didn't look Kemetic though his extravagant hair was an odd combination of Kemetic colors—a blaze of Ramses-red and Kemet-black like a sway of black flames, crowned with a forelock of spun gold that framed his face royally. And what a face it was: sweetly round with heart-shaped cheeks, wide and made for smiling, that curved to the elegant point of his chin. His lips weren't femininely plump nor were they seductively dark, but they appeared soft and lusciously curved like lotus petals.

He wasn't tall, his shoulders were not broad, and nothing about his slim build and small muscles boasted a warrior's body—but neither was he femininely petite nor spindly thin. Rather, his smooth limbs were a rare balance between the two. His slender chest and wide hips only confirmed the theory. There was a golden tint to his skin, but the hue was honeyed and by no means the dark brown native to Kemet. There was no dye in his hair, no kohl outlining his eyes, no red painting the soft pink lips, and no beads or jewelry or anything else that should've marked him as a Kemet royal. It should have made him look worse—instead it emphasized the exoticness of his beauty in a sort of stripped-down elegance that was both natural and needed nothing else to showcase his unique features.

Most devastating of all were his eyes: they were neither beady nor black, but large and rounded and the color... Oh, Leviathan help her, the color was the most brilliant shade of blue she'd ever _seen_ —dark, deep, and penetrating.

Prince Ujalah was—and it mortified her to admit it—simply lovely. Never more in her life did Princess Cristina want to scream.

They descended the steps together, the Prince shyly squeezing Timaeus' hand. Walking hand in hand with Timaeus as they departed the plank, the boy at least had the grace to blush. He blushed prettily, she thought with dull resentment. He kept his eyes bowed, though a small smile graced his lips. There was no shame in the act. If anything, the bashfulness looked sweet on him.

The two lovers could not have been more different: Timaeus with his olive skin, sharp angles, and straight black hair and silver forelock; and Prince Yugi with his honey-gold skin, playfully-round face, and mop of Ramses-red curls crowed with gold. Light and dark—resilient lotus blue and the great green sea.

It burned her to realize how perfectly juxtaposed they were.

She'd expected him to arrive half-naked in some foreign loincloth, but even that victory had been denied of her. Instead, he'd worn a gown that was clearly of Atlantian origin. Though it was a simple evening gown, the Prince wore it as if he had his whole life. She had not failed to notice how the cloth clung like it was damp or how the sleeves covered his wrists and, unlike her own garment as she stood in the King's presence, the shoulders were not bared, and she smirked at the advantage.

They stopped before the King and Timaeus bowed gracefully. The bride copied his example, bending with a clumsy elegance at his slim waist instead of dropping to all fours like a beast with his forehead pressed to the dirt, as she'd heard the Kemets do.

Timaeus turned first to his comrades with a less-than-pleasant expression and spoke in a dysphemistic tone. "Hermos, Critias." He did nothing to mask the umbrage in the name. "Thank you for coming to greet me. Your arrival is unexpected but nonetheless appreciated," he spoke with forced civility.

Then he turned to her. Their eyes met for the briefest moment and she let all her disapprobation and indignation shine there.

His expression reflected nothing.

"And it is an honor to see you, as well, Princess."

The use of her title and not her name was like a strike to her side, but she ignored it. Formality was the punctilio of such public procedures, not familiarity. "I apologize for the misunderstanding this must have caused you," he suddenly explained. "Please know it was not my intent to conceal the change of my marital status—simply the desire to inform my country and family personally and not informally." He shot Critias a glare, the only time since he'd looked so adoringly at his bride that his mask cracked. "Though it seems the notion was not shared by all."

She opened her mouth, ready to speak, but a sharp look from her father silenced her. At her left, Critias wisely said nothing.

At last, he turned to her father, his face convivial with familiarity.

"My dear King," he spoke in Canaanite, she realized, as opposed to his Locrian tongue—and realized with dull resentment the language was for the Prince's benefit. "I thank you for coming to greet me and my new bride on our return home. You honor us with your presence, Great _Basileus_."

"The honor is ours," her father answered, all pleasantries. "We trust your journey went well?" he asked, and had she not been looking, Cristina might have missed the sly light in his eye.

"Yes," Timaeus answered with a sort of secret smile. His eyes flickered briefly to his still-bowing bride, and she swore she heard a snicker or a giggle. "Indeed, it was."

Cristina noticed immediately that their hands were still clenched, and Timaeus gave his bride's a light squeeze before continuing. The new tone was immediately light and airy, nothing like his earlier disdain.

"May I introduce my beautiful new bride?" He gestured an arm in a half-bow, and there was no mistaking the mesmerism in his eyes or the way he blandished. "Prince Ujalah, youngest son of the late Pharaoh Pinedjem I, only son by his second wife, Isetemkheb, and brother to the current King, Akheperre Setepenamun—Pharaoh Psusennes I."

The boy's head stayed bowed until Timaeus introduced him. His face was a picture of comity though the violets of his eyes, blazed with determination.

He released Timaeus' hand and stepped forward. Timaeus stepped back until the Prince now stood alone before the _Basileus_ of Atlantis, the Crown Princess, and the two Dragon Knights.

His gaze remained transfixed upon them, not speaking or moving. Just as she could no longer bear the arrogance of it, the Prince crossed his feet and dropped into a long, elegant bow—bent low so much his face was nearly level with his waist and his arms raised like the gentle arch of a bird's wings. The action, she realized, slid his silken sleeves elegantly to his elbows, the respectful length. Cristina's jaw dropped. It was an ancient curtsy noble wives had used when first addressing royalty.

Her eyes darted quickly, and she saw Critias just as shocked and Hermos arch his brows. Only her Father looked unsurprised. If anything, there was expectation in his smile.

And then the creature did something truly disturbing: he spoke.

"Knight Hermos, Knight Critias," he addressed each man in turn—speaking, as all three realized at once, in nearly-perfect Canaanite. Bowing first to the Knights and then to the King, "Great _Basileus_ , I wish to thank you for coming to greet my arrival." He paused for a moment, worrying his lip. "I also wish to apologize for my behavior last we spoke. I know our last encounter did not leave you with a hopeful impression of my character nor my loyalty, wailing as I did like a struck child."

Cristina found herself unable to breathe. The two Knights looked equally as thunderstruck. Was this soft-spoken creature with sweet eyes and a sweeter voice truly the wailing seductress the Knights had warned her about? It was easy to see how such charms could've seduced their grandest Knight, but were these gentle words the truth or simply part of that ruse?

Only her father seemed immune to the spell those jeweled hums seemed to cast. "There is nothing to forgive, young one."

Her father spoke, regal and firm, but accepting. "We understand the circumstances were not the most favorable, and we are the first to admit they should have been different. We can forgive you for being overwhelmed, such as you were." A venial smile graced his lips. "But you do us a great honor with your humility."

The Prince lifted his face revealing a euphoric smile and eyes determined to conciliate. "You humble me with your pardon, Great _Basileus_. Please know that those are no longer my feelings. I fully accept my duty and position, and I am confident I shall come to love Locri and this country as I once loved my homeland."

The King met his declaration with a look of pure praise. "We have no doubt you shall."

Lastly, the Prince turned to the Princess. So caught off-guard was she that she had no defense for his kind eyes and humble smile. "Princess Cristina." He bowed, though not as deeply as he had for the King. "I trust you have heard a great deal of me, though I doubt the tales have been pleasant," he said, politely and matter-of-fact, though tinged with sadness. "It is my hope that in time, you may form your own opinion of me and me, you."

He concluded, lowering his arms—and to her embarrassment, offered a gentile bow. It appeared effortless.

She suddenly felt spotlighted, as if all their eyes were on her. Waiting with baited breath for her to speak. Whereas her father's conversation with the prince had only a moderate, if eager attendance, nearly the whole of the country was suddenly cramming closer, eager to witness the confrontation between Princess and Consort—lover previous and lover present, the long-believed future bride of a magical fairy tale and the actual pride who indeed fit the fairy tale but one far more worldly. Worst of all, _she_ was the one being presented, for all her nervousness and wounded pride, while this… this… _interloper_ stood composed and patient—a true prince born.

It was the worst insult he could've ever dealt her.

Quickly, she composed herself, her face one of regal sternness, and scrutinized the prince with a quick, nodded glance. When she spoke, she made sure all could hear her even tone. "You speak of gratitude and duty, and even loyalty." She paused deliberately.

Breathless, the spectators leaned forward. The Prince did not move.

"And yet you stand before your King with your sleeves drawn and in a wet pauper's dress like a drowned rat."

The collection of gasps echoed like a storm wind, but that was not what surprised her. What did was the look of horror and disgust on not only her father's face, but Timaeus' as well. Worse still, the prince did not flinch.

"Cristina!" Her father barreled forward, anger in his voice.

Angered at being ridiculed for what was so obvious an offense, she spun to her father and justified, "You know I speak true, Father. Look at him!" She had enough control to not point. "He claims to be the Trierarch's bride! He knew whom he would be addressing! And yet he's dressed no better than a maid! He covers his shoulders like we are beneath him. He insults Timaeus and all of us with him!"

She glanced at her Knights for support, but Hermos turned away from her, frowning, and Critias remained silent.

"If that is your argument, then the fault is mine. I did not—" Timaeus had stepped forward, ready to defend, but was cut off by the prince rising from his curtsy and gesturing an arm.

"No, Tim," Yugi mollified, calm and steady, and with such humility that even the crowd had stopped muttering. "She's right." He smiled and lowered himself again.

Cristina's smile curled with absolute triumph, but it was not to her he bowed or addressed.

"Great _Basileus_ , I apologize if my appearance displeases you. To do so was not my intent. It was my original decision to arrive in the Locrian armor gifted to me by my husband upon my boarding _The Eye of Timaeus_ , you see? We were married then, and she and all who served her are just as much mine as they are his. 'Twas only appropriate I look the part. However, as we arrived closer, my Lord Husband thought my current ensemble was more appropriate to the rank of Magistrate and…" He paused to smile and, as if he planned it, a blush rose in his cheeks. "I can deny him nothing. And, as you say, Great Princess, I was to be meeting royalty and my King spoke ever so fondly of his darling daughter, so I thought it would please her better to see me as a Magister's consort and not a warrior." He frowned, almost apologetically. "I also apologize if I appear so frazzled. I'm afraid there was just not enough time to dry it properly after our dance in the storm." He rose and spun to his husband, smiling. "Remember, Timaeus?"

She did not miss the coquettish wink in his eyes. Or the way Timaeus smirked when he nodded.

Cristina wrung her fingers. A protest immediately formed on her lips and she took a step to do so.

A swift hand sharply ensnared her arm, like a snake sinking its fangs into the neck of a rabbit and squeezing just as tight. She recognized it immediately that it was her father's.

"It matters not," the King said, gracious and apologetic. The calm of his voice was masterfully masking the anger in his eyes, and she knew it was not directed at their foreign guest. "Such things are trifles and easily fixed. There are hours before your ceremony, after all."

Yugi smiled and bowed humbly. "Regardless, my King, I am a magistrate of Locri now. I should be mindful of that and always present myself at my best." He rose then, and when his eyes met hers for the briefest of moments, there was a smirk in them. A single—simple—victorious glance.

"Besides…" Then he spun and gracefully fell into Timaeus' waiting arms. He pulled him close and kissed his cheek, whispering just loud enough for them all to hear it. "I want to look beautiful for my new husband."

And then something terrible happened: Timaeus _blushed_.

She wanted to deny it, write it off as some trick of the light, but there was no mistaking the vibrant rosy hue that bloomed across the Trierarch's cheeks when the Kemet boy whispered those words. It angered her. Timaeus _never_ blushed, for _nothing_ ever embarrassed him. To think this dratted, foreign prince could make him do so… It was unthinkable!

Without another word, the pair locked their hands and bowed to their king, who in turn dismissed them with a smile and nod of the head.

With a smile of radiant pride, Timaeus raised his lover's hand and addressed the crowd. "Citizens of the West, may I present my consort, Magistrate Ujalah!"

The crowd needed no further incentive and burst into a vociferous symphony of congratulatory shouts and rapturous applause, and the little prince absorbed it all with a humble smile and a sweet bow that had all of the realm cooing and scampering for his attention, while others praise the Magister for his choice.

Throughout it all, Cristina witnessed the prince shyly grab Timaeus' arm and whisper not-so-shyly, "Just so I know, is it not the tradition for the groom to carry his new bride through town before bringing him to their new home?"

She watched in horror as Timaeus scooped the tiny creature into his arms and kissed him boldly in front of everyone. The soldiers behind them all exchanged knowing smirks and snickers. The crowd gasped in surprise, then girls giggled behind their hands and men simply smiled and rolled their eyes, no doubt impressed by the prince's coyness.

No one questioned it now. People were already whispering in each other's ears. Rumors were certain to spread and by nightfall, everyone would have their candles out and listening at the foot of the Magister's manor for the sounds of laughter and pleasure. By dawn, they would all know and there would be no doubt—Timaeus was in love with a Kemet Prince, and the Kemet prince was in love with him. It would be the romance of the century. Stories would be told of the union, and women and girls alike would flock and swoon at such a perfect romance. Men would joke of it over drinks, and trade and make wagers over how long the marriage venture would be, when the Magister would stop smiling, how many children they'd have…

For the public _loved_ a royal wedding, almost as much as they loved romantic tales of gallant Knights rescuing princesses trapped by evil priests. Even Cristina agreed all the pieces were there.

Not one of them would care for the truth. Or see their lord's new consort for the manipulative little monster he was.

"You were right, Critias," she sneered in a whisper. "It is worse than we thought. Much worse."

"Indeed," Critias hissed in agreement. "I did not think he would fall this fast."

"Neither did I," Hermos agreed, but it was more of curiosity than disgust.

As if he had heard every word, her father suddenly threw his head back in a whooping laugh so loud, he bellowed into it. "Aha ha ha ha ha ha! That was spectacular!"

Critias and Cristina both stared at him in shock. The sheer confidence of it stole their breath away. "This could not have worked out better if I had planned it! I'll send a bird to the Pharaoh on the morrow! Doubtless he will be just as delighted!"

"Ki—I'm—my lord—um— _Basileus_..." Critias stumbled over his words like his tongue had caught fire. "What… business is this?"

Cristina looked just as baffled.

Her father turned to them over his shoulder, his smile patient and his chuckle brief.

"You mean it is not obvious, Critias?" It was Hermos who answered. His notoriously neutral mask arched a curious brow and he smiled as if they'd missed the heart of an obvious joke. "Because it became abundantly clear to _me_."

Cristina watched as Critias' eyes bulged with disbelief—then slanted in angry refusal. "Oh no, not you, Hermos! Don't you _dare_ tell me Timaeus is in love with that brat!"

 _Leviathan forbid…_ Cristina thought in horror.

"No," Hermos began, calm and collected as he always was. Then added matter-of-factly, " 'Twas always clear that Timaeus was in love with _him_. What I meant was that _he_ is finally in love with Timaeus."

Cristina stumbled as if she had been slapped. The worst part was that her father did not deny it.

"Indeed, it does, my good Hermos. Indeed, it does." He threw his head back with a laugh.

"B-B-But Father, you can't—" She stumbled for words.

"And you," he cut her off, all humor gone from his face. He looked at her sternly, unblinkingly, then shook his head with an emotion she had never seen him use when he addressed her: disapproval. "We shall discuss your behavior later."

He left without another word. Hermos and Critias followed him loyally, though she did not miss the arch of rebellion in Critias' step.

Left alone on the dock as the entourage followed the King and the parade parted for their Magister and his consort, Cristina spun towards the sea and screamed.

Releasing all her rage and frustration into the road of sea, air, and ocean waves, she gasped in a relief so forceful, she nearly slumped to her feet. But she caught herself and stood tall against the might of the sea.

This could not go on, she decided. One way of another, this silly infatuation of Timaeus', this farce marriage for politics and peace… She had to end it.

For her sake, as well as his.

______________________________________

_Notes on Atlantis Culture:_

To differentiate Atlantis from other ancient cultures now, I created a few new rules and customs:

To recap:

\- Sleeves are a sign of status in this society. (I didn't even make this up, apparently, it was the custom in ancient Venice back when the Medieval Pope thought it was "sinful" for woman to show parts of their body) Anyway, the longer one's sleeves are, the higher their status. Since Yugi is the Magistrate all his garments would be long-sleeved, but since his status is not the highest in Atlantis, he would still need certain outfits adjusted for greeting, entertaining, and addressing royalty, such as King Dartz, Princess Cristina, and the Royal family, so his sleeves would either have to be three-quarters or down to his wrists but expose his shoulders as an acknowledgement of one's status as higher than his own (this was borrowed from Cristina's outfit in Dartz' flashbacks in the show, I noticed how everyone wore long-sleeves but Cristina and her mother wore outfits that has their shoulders bared, which I loved so I figured why not? This is also why Cristina used this against Yugi when his sleeves fell back down.

\- Dartz's title "Basileus" is the equivalent of the throne name of the Pharaohs, so as a sign of respect, he is referred to this at the meeting as opposed to "Your Highness" or "Your Majesty" which is usually used by servants or during matters of business. Dartz also speaks with a royal plural, this is when monarchs refer to themselves in the plural "We", "our", etc. It's mostly used in public, at court or during business meetings (usually of two or more people) and then they only refer to themselves in the singular in the presence of family or if alone with someone else, which why Dartz speaks with the plural to his Knights but the singular when speaking to Cristina.

\- The order of departure/arrival I made up: since in all other countries, the way a procession works is first Royals, then their family members, then courtiers and nobles, then servants, then armies. With Atlantis, I decided to reverse it so the soldiers come first, then Rhebekka (cause she's second-in-command with her husband on the island), then finally Timaeus and Yugi—I though it added suspense and made Atlantis different. This is also why Timaeus addressed the Knights first, then Cristina and finally the King himself. Yugi performs a slight breach in etiquette by addressing the King before Cristina but he did so purposefully to acknowledge her separately.

Did I miss anything?

_Glossary:_

_Basileus_ \- "king" in Mycenaen Greek; in the context of this story, it's the Atlantian title for King Dartz; like the throne name of the Pharaohs.


	55. Celebration

_Chapter LV: Celebration_

"That was terrifying," Yugi mumbled, exhaling a breath of relief so powerful he would have collapsed if not for Timaeus' arms. He was grateful for the Atlantian custom of carrying the bride through the city and the freedom to hide his blushing face. "It's a miracle I didn't fall flat on my face."

No stranger to war processions, Yugi recognized several of the standard protocols associated with returning war parties, and even more with the receiving of a new bride now that the introduction and indictment into the Royal Family was complete. In Kemet, however, it was Pharaoh who preceded the battalion, followed closely by his priests and commanders, and then his army and comrades—a show of status and militant power as well as acknowledgment to those responsible for the victory. Atlantis boasted the opposite and Yugi was grateful for the additional preparation time the custom allowed.

"You did splendidly," Timaeus whispered reassuringly and bumped his nose to Yugi's. Yugi blushed and buried his face in the man's neck. Timaeus chuckled. "And you would not have fallen. I would not have let you." There was a twinkle in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. His gaze shifted ahead with a single glance before returning to Yugi's eyes. "Are you ready?"

Yugi blushed again and cast a glance forward. Every member from the exhausted battalion to the youngest child of the public gave a cry of gaiety. Orders were given. Sentinels received their messages and rushed to deliver the news to their superiors, and everyone in the city prepared in a long chain for the parade of soldiers. War horns and trumpets echoed in the background, welcoming them all home. Timaeus had educated him well on the expectations of his arrival—and more so on the welcoming of the Magister's new consort.

A march around the main avenue of the city was the first and most important. It was an event so lavish and mandatory that all shops, markets, and stands were promptly closed, and all commoners—from the eldest grandfather to the smallest child—lined the streets. Unlike Kemet, however, the people were not expected to bow or remain silent; though another standard protocol was the reception of commanders and their sovereign, the Atlantian customs began the march with a welcoming ovation of their fellow soldiers and sailors. Cheers and applause that were both passionate and lively erupted from the people as the soldiers valiantly marched, welcoming them with mugs of fresh water and ale and trays of fresh fruits and baked bread. Others gifted them with bouquets and wreaths of fresh flowers, elated tears, and small trinkets and gifts as a show of thanks.

The soldiers accepted everything—their faces were full of laughter and good cheer rather than the somber dignity they used when entering battle. Some of them even left the command to reunite with their families—the wives, children, and parents of which were always given priority sitting at the front lines of the reception for such a reason. It was thanks to these armed comrades and their brave efforts, Timaeus had explained, that victory was won and bloodshed had been avoided, and it was only fitting they lead the battalion and receive their well-deserved praise, and happily reunite with their families.

The Masters of the Ship and the Commanders went next, receiving the same praise with just as much, if not greater enthusiasm. Yugi watched as Otogi, Ryou, and Malik marched on, exchanging laughter and pleasantries and acting in ways Yugi had never seen them act on the ship before. Ryou all but blushed every time he was offered a gift from a young girl, and he bowed with an almost-flustered appreciation at every piece of food and drink offered to him. Malik disappeared into the crowd, no doubt to reunite with his family. Otogi flashed a lecherous grin at a group of girls—but his eyes, Yugi noticed, were wandering. Suddenly, they flickered, and Yugi almost gasped when he slid excitedly through the crowd and was all but tackled by a shrieking dark-haired woman. Their laughter was infectious and spread to all who looked upon them. Raphael accepted everything as graciously and calmly as he always did, but Yugi saw the slightest trace of a smile on his face. Timaeus saw it, too, and Yugi watched his husband smile, warmed by the citizens' admiration and respect towards his men.

Rhebekka received the warmest of welcomes. The crowd that surrounded her welcomed her openly. The women immediately grasped her condition and offered shouts of joy and congratulatory hands. Rhebekka accepted it all with a smile. Her demeanor was nothing like the fierce and fearless creature Yugi had seen on the ship, but younger, gentler, almost sweet as she laughed openly with the women who surrounded her and spoiled her with presents. She would receive many more in the trip that followed. Her own journey would not end until she reunited with her husband and the rest of the palace staff at the manor's gates.

Soon, it would be their turn, Yugi realized with a sudden lump in his throat.

Timaeus sensed it, too, and pulled away then frowned. "I must apologize, though." He gazed quickly over his shoulder, but his foster sister's face was lost amidst the crowd. "I knew she would not be pleased, but I had not an inkling that she would react that way."

Sensing his guilt, Yugi placed a hand on Timaeus' cheek lovingly. "It's not your fault," he assured, then sighed. "Nor is it hers. Who knows what lies Critias had poisoned her with?"

Timaeus snorted bestially at the mention of his corrupt comrade's name. "Yes," he growled. "And I plan to rectify that very soon."

"There's no need for that," Yugi mollified, frowning. "I don't fault him for hating me. He adores you—you're his treasured comrade—and I was the wailing insolent brat you were forced to marry."

Timaeus lifted Yugi's face before he could lower it. "It does not matter," Timaeus said gravely. "Whatever happened then, I chose you for myself. It was not _his_ decision nor did he have any say in the matter. And even if he did, the choice was mine and it does not give him the right to speak negatively of you or to allow such rumors to spread in my absence. He dishonored my trust, as well as yours. He is a dear friend but with his actions, and however good his intentions may be, I am not likely to forgive him easily."

Yugi gulped at the darkness—the severity—in those words. Briefly, his mind returned to that day in the temple. The day he'd met the Trierarch for the first time and witnessed the ruthlessness of his justice. He recognized that same look now: those eyes of unquestionable honor, and whose command was harsh and cruel, but fair and just. He'd almost forgotten that side of his husband—it had been so long since he'd last seen it, but it was still there, whether he was in command of his ship or at his city amongst his people.

Yugi slowly smiled comfortingly and rested his head against the man's shoulder. "Let's not think of such things," he murmured, running his fingers in slow circles over Timaeus' chest. "It's our wedding day, after all. We can think of that later." He sealed the words with a kiss to his cheek.

Timaeus exhaled through his nose and shook his head, smiling. "Have I married a prince or a temptress?" he teased, arching a brow.

"Temptress?" Yugi cocked his head with bird-like indignation. "I thought I was an imp?"

"You are," Timaeus corrected, hitching the boy up higher in his arms. "You're an imp, a minx, and a temptress all at once!" His smile curled at the corners and he bore straight into Yugi's eyes—fluttering amethyst frozen by a lecherous emerald and a secretive pearl. It made Yugi's heart pound.

"And I'm going to enjoy having all three in my bed come sundown." Timaeus confirmed his promise by halting the parade and kissing him.

Yugi surrendered at once. All thoughts and anxieties vanished with a wisp, replaced only by the memory and feel of those lips and the way they made his heart pound. His skin shivered. His thighs trembled. Had he a conscious thought left, Yugi would've groaned. How was it just a single touch from this man and all he was melted in Timaeus' arms?

There was an echo of snickering behind them. They broke the kiss to look—Yugi red with embarrassment, and Timaeus sharp-eyed and frowning irritably.

"My word, Commander…" It was Rhebekka, grinning in that sly, impish way she grinned—like she knew a secret. "You really can't keep your hands to yourself, can you?"

A crowd of their soldiers had gathered around her, as well as the people. Men chuckled heartily, women giggled behind their hands, children hid their shy or disgusted faces, and the soldiers flashed bawdy smiles.

"Can you blame him?" Ryou giggled. "When he's got our sweet Prince all to himself now?"

"Aye, but must they torture us?" Otogi groaned mockingly. "He's had _his_ spouse all season and we have yet to reunite with ours!"

Timaeus rolled his eyes. "I released you all already. Don't bother me if they're happier without you lot to disturb their peace," he said in such a wild, joking manner that Yugi blinked through his shock. Timaeus shifted Yugi's weight to one arm, and with the other, shooed them off as if he was sending a nosy dog away. "Now be off with you all. Go bother your own wives with your mischief."

Suddenly, everyone laughed. Yugi blushed darker and Timaeus kissed his cheek. "Don't mind them. Their teasing only means they accept you. Did you not hear Ryou?" He winked. "They're calling you their little prince."

Yugi snorted and crossed his arms. "I'm not little," he snapped.

Timaeus wagged his finger back and forth. "Tut, tut, you're a Magistrate now, as well as a prince. Neither of them pout."

Yugi harrumphed and looked away stubbornly. Timaeus frowned, not liking the lack of attention, and spun the boy in his arms and kissed him. Determined to be stubborn, Yugi fought the embrace, but Timaeus licked his lips and slipped his tongue into his mouth, and Yugi melted like snow. He pulled away, groaning, and playfully punched the man's arm.

Timaeus caught it, grinning. "Don't want them to think we've quarreled now, do we?"

Yugi snorted then smirked. "I'm sure if we did, they'd think it's _your_ fault."

Timaeus flashed his own dangerous smirk, eyes lighting with challenge. "We'll see then, won't we?" His gaze flashed ahead, and Yugi spun around and gulped, trying not to pale. Suddenly, they were surrounded by commoners and townsfolk, all bowing praises and offering congratulations and gifts of food.

Timaeus whispered. "It's our turn."

X X X

Timaeus carried Yugi through the marketplace street with such pride that he absolutely radiated from it. Yugi himself tried to look dignified, but at once, they were swarmed by villagers and townspeople—cheering, laughing, greeting, congratulating. Within moments, Yugi found himself surrounded by faces of strangers and tried not to scream, grateful for the shelter of Timaeus' arms.

A woman offered him gifts of food, and he blinked and turned to Timaeus still holding him in one arm. Timaeus nodded and took a sample for himself. Yugi also took some of the treat—it was fluffy and soft and looked like bread, but tasted sweet like dates, only with more of a tang. It tasted delicious and he told her so. Her face lit up with excitement and thanks. Other women swarmed after her, offering treats and cups of water. They tried each one, Timaeus nibbling while Yugi gorged himself on the delicious foreign foods. Drunk of his compliments, the women shrieked in delight.

Others offered him gifts of fine cloth. The women's husbands gave finely crafted-jewels. Yugi blushed and humbly accepted them, unsure what else to do, as he left Timaeus to offer them praise. Children weaved through the crowd, offering crowns of flowers.

Timaeus stopped, smiled, and bowed for them to place the flower crowns on their heads or arms—some even placed them around Yugi's feet. Other children attacked the pair with hugs and tight embraces. Timaeus shocked Yugi speechless by simply laughing and hauling the children up with one arm to greet his lover face-to-face. So stunned was he that Yugi could only blush and accept their sweet-sounding hellos and shy welcomes. His heart swooned when Timaeus stopped to let the smaller children hug the Magistrate's ankles until their parents ushered them away.

Everything was lively and full of laughter, even when they left the market and entered the city streets. Timaeus carried Yugi over bridges and arches, through stairways and alleys, and people were quick to greet them in the streets or from houses and present their gifts and cheers. But unlike the royal processions Yugi was used to, the aura here was much more relaxed and passionate—less formal, less mandatory. Yugi had never doubted his father and brother, as both kings and men were loved, but not even when his father and brother returned victorious from war had things ever been so lively in Kemet. This was not like when the Pharaoh enters a town, hoisted high on his golden royal litter like an untouchable god, while all who had gathered bowed their heads and dropped to their knees.

That's right, Yugi reminded himself. The Pharaoh is a god among them. That is why they bow and refuse to meet his eyes. But Timaeus was no god—he was their leader, their Magister, and they truly love him.

In every way the fearsome Trierarch was a firm commander and merciless enemy, he was also a kind and gentle ruler. Honorable not only as a Magistrate, but as a man. It made Yugi love him even more.

The procession stopped on the edge of a massive river, and a gondola painted gold and draped with royal silks was waiting by the shore. Timaeus set his lover inside the floating litter then entered himself, offering thanks to the townsfolk who carried and loaded it with their gifts. As the ferryman pushed off, Yugi waved a heartfelt goodbye to the people as he passed and they returned it with teary eyes and bright, hopeful smiles.

"They really adore you," Yugi said, breathless and blushing but still dizzy with delight.

Timaeus beamed at him, emerald and pearl eyes gleaming with pride and love. "No, little one, they adore you, because they see how happy you have made me. I can hide it from them no more than I can hide it from my King and comrades."

Yugi blushed even darker, and distracted himself by peeking through the curtains. His eyes bulged with mystification.

Only now was he truly able to witness the wonders of his new home. Having only glimpsed the Western Isle from the distant waters, and unable to fully examine it upon arrival, he found himself fascinated and stupefied by the strange new world around him.

Like the rest of Atlantis, Locri and the west was a city of water and stone, but unlike the rolling marshlands of the south and floating cities of the north, Locri was built from mountains and streams. Fascinated by the capital city of Atlantis' central island—where the main city and roads spiraled up and around the mountain itself, crowned by Dartz' castle—Yugi was astonished that the north-western section of the continent had not one, but three massive mountains encircling her entire western border. Though the first and second of the West's land wings were no different from the floating cities and lagoons connected to each other by massive bridges and high walls, the third moat was larger, and instead, larger ferries ushered back and forth between the islands.

But Locri… Oh, the city herself was a mystifying sight! Ideally situated directly beside the third river, the castellated buildings and stone archways were built directly into the face of the massive cliffs that overhung the lagoon. From somewhere secret inside the mountain, a long massive river spiraled and flowed like a waterfall down the slopes, and the whole city moved and curved with it. Buildings, roads, and houses flowed down with the waters to the shore, where the stone quays stuck far out into the mouth of a large river feeding into the southern ocean and moat, keeping the boats floating a good few meters from the rocky shores. The beaches had pebbles instead of sand, and the few dunes were rich with an understory of sand and shrubbery and green life. Ramous trees, bushy and pinnate with leafage like Yugi had never seen before, shielded the city from the shores, and the marketplace above was built on long, narrow platforms of petrified wood.

The marketplace, he saw, bordered the pier: shops formed a single row on either side of the river's mouth facing the water, and the sidewalks and streets were a series of corbelled cobblestones beaten and flattened into the smooth ground. It stretched for miles on either side—Yugi had to crane his neck to see where it ended, and even that was but a faded blur.

Instead of roads, aqueducts and archways of green stone formed man-made rivers. Houses were built on stilts to avoid flooding, and branches of the river fed canals, their dalles controlled by high walls of green stone. By the corner of his eye, Yugi saw small sections boarded off with wood and stone where boats rose and fell with the waters locked inside, turning them in the direction they wanted to go. Their own royal gondola entered one, and he gaze with absolute fascination as wheels and cranes closed the doors and the small box was filled with water. Once the box was full and their boat aligned with the rising waters, the walls opened and turned them onto a higher waterway—aqueducts and small boats carrying people and supplies up and down the canals.

He watched people cross them on bridges of green stone shaped like archways; some a simple arch over a small stream, others built high into the sky on tall pillars weaving through the city. They even floated under one and he darted across the gondola landing in Timaeus' lap, to the older man's amusement, to see the whole thing. Many square-shaped houses and green-stone towers were either domed, flat-roofed, or topped with triangular hats with alfresco-style roof decks or belvederes beneath. Many were connected by wrap-around decks and arch-like bridges, like roads built into the air. Staircases of petrified wood spiraled throughout the city and under arches, connecting levels of stone and water alike.

Off in the corner, Yugi saw a flash of gold and the outline of a structure so tall and majestic it could only be a temple, and he wondered which of Locri's deities it belonged to: the fearsome and fair God of Death and Riches, or the beautiful Iron Lady who ruled at his side, the judge and executioner to her jury husband? Above the cliffs' steep steps led to the top of the cliffside where an enormous mansion stood tall and regal over the villages and city below. Castellated with oculus windows and several open-aired belvederes, it spoke of something both ancient and modern. At least three floors tall, with roofed wrap-around decks and connecting staircases spiraling between the different levels, and the grounds boasted a beautiful botanical rich with towering trees, magnificent fruits, crowns of festoon shrubs and colorful flowers, the secrets of ponds and hidden pathways and the shadows of a stable that may have been for horses or birds. It shamed the gardens of the Great House and Mut's Precinct and he blushed, recognizing it immediately for what it was.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Timaeus whispered in his ear.

Yugi gulped, having been caught staring. "Yes, it is," he said, trying hard not to sound as breathless as he felt. "Is it yours?"

Timaeus laughed. "Oh, no, it was here long before I came to Locri, and it will be here long after I am gone. It is the Magister's house, and every Magister Locri has had has called her home." His rakish smile softened, though his eyes were still bright. "And I hope, in time, it may be your home as well, Lord Ujalah, Magistrate of Locri."

Yugi blushed again and tried to hide his face in Timaeus' chest. Why did the man always have to tease him? "Tell me about the mountains again, Timaeus," he asked, hoping to change the subject.

Timaeus snorted, obviously not fooled, but answered anyway. "As you wish." He shifted Yugi's weight to one arm and pointed to each of the three massive structures. "That one is sacred to our Iron Lady, the one next to it is for her husband, the Lord of the Dead, and the third further still," he pointed to the farthest mountain, so far south it was but a mirage, "is sacred to Poseidon, God of the Sea. They say he raised Atlantis himself out of the mighty ocean and his sons were the first Kings, and every King of Atlantis since then has had the blood of the sea-god running through their veins—not unlike your own king being a descendant from the Sun."

Yugi blinked, glimpsing the mountain—having heard the story but witnessing the massive monument was an entirely different beast. "Does anyone live there?"

"Oh no," Timaeus laughed. "The whole mountain is a single island, much too rocky for life, I'm afraid—and if not, the god would be angry if we built our houses there. Locri is the furthest south the West goes. Try not to look so disappointed," he teased and Yugi snorted.

"Then you'll just have to show me everything this fair city offers," Yugi boldly declared, realizing suddenly that he was still in Tim's lap, and tried to hop away, but Timaeus was faster and pulled him back with a yelp.

"It would be my honor," the Knight promised and sealed the promise with a kiss. It was a chaste one but Yugi returned it and hugged him tightly.

"Do you think you'll be happy here?" Timaeus asked suddenly.

Yugi shot up, confused, then blinked sadly. "It is beautiful," he admitted, gaze wandering once more to the strange world of water and stone—a rupestrian kingdom of tors and dalles and lacustrine things. "It's so different from Kemet—like how different Horus is from Seth?" He couldn't think of any other comparison. How else could he describe this place of rocks and trees and water and life to his world of sand and dunes and heat and a single river? A wave of homesickness suddenly came over him and he felt himself shake. All those years, he'd complained of it, but he truly had loved his home in the desert as much as he had the Delta. The Red and Black Lands had played such an intricate part of his life. It was only now, so far away from them, that he realized they truly _had_ been home to him. At least at some point in his life.

Would this place, so foreign and new and exciting and terrifying, ever feel the same? Would it ever invoke in him the same longing and sense of loss?

He felt the arms around him tighten, and Yugi relaxed into their warm embrace. "I understand, little lotus," Timaeus whispered gently. The new nickname made Yugi's heart quiver as well as beat. "I was once a stranger here. I know how frightful it can all be." He kissed Yugi's hair and petted it softly. Yugi hummed contently and lifted his face to meet Timaeus' loving gaze.

"It is not that which frightens me." He frowned but did not look away. "In Kemet, I was a prince. Had I stayed, I would have inherited that destiny—part of a royal family but never destined to rule it. Here, that is not my fate. Here… I am not only expected to rule… but to triumph at it."

"And that frightens you?" Timaeus asked gently, but did not push.

Yugi shook his head. "… I'm afraid I'll fail you." The confession hung heavy on his heart, but admitting it somehow made him feel lighter. "Not just as your ruler… but as your partner. I don't know how to be a lover _or_ a ruler. I was never trained, and you have accomplished both already. Your people love you, your men respect you, and your enemies fear you, but all this is foreign to me. What if I am not strong enough to stand at your side?"

His eyes bore deep into Timaeus'. The empty pearl reflected of all his doubts and fears, but its emerald twin was blazing. Stoically, he cupped Yugi's face in his hands and rubbed his cheek with his thumb.

The gesture was gentle, but all the more powerful for it. Yugi trembled in his touch.

"… Perhaps I am all of that," Timaeus confessed, his eyes soft and his voice loving. "But that was not always the case. There was a time I was wild and savage and no one thought anything of me, and like you, I was alone and untrained and felt burdened by what was expected of me." He pressed his forehead to Yugi's and their eyes locked. "But you are not alone in this journey, and already you have the makings of a great leader, far more than I ever did." He added a chuckle to the last part. "It is alright to be afraid, but do not lose heart, my dear one, for whatever trials may lie ahead, I will always be by your side."

Tears came to Yugi's eyes the same time he felt a laugh bubble in his throat, and unsure which one he wanted to release, he did both and wrapped his arms tight around his Magister. "Thank you," he said, his voice croaking.

Timaeus returned the affection and kissed his hair. "Think of it no more," he said. "For now, all that matters is us—and what happens tomorrow can wait."

The gondola rocked and slid to a halt, and Timaeus saw they'd reached the end of the river, and the litter was pulled and tied to the stones along the quay. Through the veil of silks, Yugi saw the city below and the bright gardens and towering windows of the manor above.

"We're here." Timaeus scooped his little bride into his arms, and waited for the ferryman to open the silks and usher them out. Yugi dried his tears and flashed his brightest smile as he and his husband arrived to greet their guests.

Given the last chapter was in Cristina's POV I really wanted this one to be an echo of the last chapter but in Timaeus and Yugi's pov-plus i couldn't resist writing more Knightshipping.

This was such a fun chapter to write: Yugi and Timaeus and also the whole ship coming home to everyone they love: the tension is gone, they're no longer captain and soldiers and rulers and servants but now they're all people with families and home and neighbors making jokes. It was a nice change and it was fun to show more Locri as well.

Next time, we get their "wedding ceremony" and Yugi is first introduce to the Manor and the staff, so they're not out of the woods yet...

_**NEXT TIME:** Yugi meets the House of Locri, Gifts and Vows are exchanged, alliances are made, secrets are revealed, all preluding to a night neither Timaeus nor Yugi will ever forget._

_The next few chapters have been prewritten but need serious editing to I will do my best to get them up in a timely fashion but I make no promises...only four more chapters left of Timaeus Part 2!_ _As always, read, review, critique, comment ask questions, post theories and go nuts!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Given the last chapter was in Cristina's POV I really wanted this one to be an echo of the last chapter but in Timaeus and Yugi's pov-plus i couldn't resist writing more Knightshipping.
> 
> This was such a fun chapter to write: Yugi and Timaeus and also the whole ship coming home to everyone they love: the tension is gone, they're no longer captain and soldiers and rulers and servants but now they're all people with families and home and neighbors making jokes. It was a nice change and it was fun to show more Locri as well.
> 
> Next time, we get their "wedding ceremony" and Yugi is first introduce to the Manor and the staff, so they're not out of the woods yet...
> 
> NEXT TIME: Yugi meets the House of Locri, Gifts and Vows are exchanged, alliances are made, secrets are revealed, all preluding to a night neither Timaeus nor Yugi will ever forget.
> 
> The next few chapters have been prewritten but need serious editing to I will do my best to get them up in a timely fashion but I make no promises...only four more chapters left of Timaeus Part 2! As always, read, review, critique, comment ask questions, post theories and go nuts!


	56. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Timaeus and Yugi make their grand entrances, several reunions occur, Yugi receives his bride gifts, acquires his regalia and makes a rather shocking confession to the most unlikely person...

_Chapter LVI: Confrontations_

As Timaeus lifted him into his arms, Yugi caught his first glimpse of his new home. His eyes widened with amazement and a sort of horrified fascination. Though dwarfed by the Great Houses of Kemet, the palazzo of Locri was by no means a small house and every piece from its colorful windows to its tall, elegant facades had a reason behind it.

Built overlooking the city and coast below, the manor was built in the heart of the mountain's upmost valley. Two long rivers poured down the mountain's slopes: one, looped low and fed a small grove of tall trees, the second curved around and connected in a defensive mote. Unlike the tall towers of palm and fig Yugi was used to, here trees had twisted trunks crowned with branches like many arms and fingers heavy with fruit and foliage. The massive chain of mountains formed a curved valley ending in the steep drop of a huge cliff and the city below.

The house itself was no less impressive: elegant with its pointed towers and curved archways, it stood so tall Yugi had to crane his neck to see the lacy crenellations of the alfernso roof. Rectangular and asymmetrical, it was carved entirely from glass and white brick. Windows clear as water and sparkling like a tapestry of jewels, glittered and let in light. Verandas with inflected arches curved around almost the entire second and third floors, with smaller balconies and arcade loggias scattered throughout. The whole thing boasted a modest courtyard made from the same polished brick as the building itself.

"Like it?" Timaeus asked in a whisper, choosing Aramaic for privacy.

Though caught staring, Yugi could not remove his eyes and nodded, almost mutely. "Yes."

"Far cry from the castles of Kemet, I imagine," Timaeus chuckled "But you'll find them no less lovely, and no less magnificent in their structure."

It was _nothing_ like the small city of Kemet's Great House, and though Yugi had prepared himself, it still felt alien, mythic, ethereal.

"Are you ready? They're waiting for us."

This time Yugi did look away. "What?"

A grin slid across Timaeus' face and he whispered, haughtily, "Why to meet my house of course. They've waited a long time to meet my new bride." He gestured forward with a grin. Yugi blushed at the crowd of retainers gathered in the stone courtyard, all donning their finest clothes and cheering enthusiastically. The reality settled heavily in his heart as if just now understanding the full grasp of it. Even after weeks of preparation, Yugi felt nervous. Like all before was just a dream and he'd just now woken up. It was a strange feeling but not an unsettling one. His heart was pounding: excited and frightened at once. He was grateful for Timaeus' arms around him, fearful he'd stumble if he had to walk on his own.

He gulped and nodded.

With an imperial stride and a beaming smile Timaeus swaggered up the path, servants and staff alike shifted aside, bowing and offering congratulations. They stopped in front of the magnificent, massive doors. The guard in front of them was young, but the strong build and balanced form hidden beneath his thick black and silver armor betrayed his true age. A curtain of thick black hair was pulled back in a long tail exposing the richly tanned curves of his face, the smirk on his lips emphasized by glittering gray eyes. A green cape thrown over one shoulder was pinned at the breast with a silver, single-eyed dragon with sword in his mouth. The same sigil decorated the door etched into a plate of thick metal.

"Welcome Home, my Lord Magister," he dropped to one knee in a graceful bow. "You have been sorely missed and—"

A scream of delight pierced his speech. Yugi and Timaeus barely registered the squeal of utter happiness and the flash of gold before the kneeling man was sent toppling over and landed splayed on his back with the golden-haired girl plopped in his lap, her green eyes glittering.

"I missed you, too, Rhea," he choked through flattened lungs.

Yugi covered his mouth a stifled a laugh. So, this was Timaeus' First, the notorious husband Rhebekka had told him so much about. She hugged him tightly then just as quickly pulled away, her eyes hard and her tone held no room for chat. "We've much to discuss, you and me. Much indeed."

"Yes," he said seemingly unmoved by the change of demeanor, but Yugi caught the slight tremble in his voice. It made him wonder how often he'd been on the wrong side of his friend's leviathan-like temper. "But first," he diverted carefully and peeked past her, locking eyes with Yugi for the first time. "I believe we have a Magistrate to welcome?"

He placed his hands around her slender waist and brought her up with him. Their smiles matched as they turned to Timaeus and Yugi, bowing. "Welcome home, Lord Timaeus, Magister of Locri, and welcome, Lord Ujalah, our new Magistrate."

Timaeus set Yugi down and smiled. "Yugi, allow me to introduce Mokuba, My First, and second-in-command in my absence, and as I'm sure you've realized, Rhebekka's husband."

Yugi nodded and arched his back forward with his arms wide, the same way he had when he'd address Cristina and the King. "It is good to finally meet you, Mokuba," he said warmly. "I've heard many things about you."

"All mixed, I reckon," he sighed casting a gaze towards his wife. "My wife you've met." Rhebekka looked no less haughtily now than she had on their ship.

"Now that that is done," Timaeus scooped him into one arm, making him shriek, and stumble. A few servants giggled at his clumsiness, but Yugi straightened his back and refused to be shamed.

"Members of my honored house," Timaeus bellowed loudly, raising his free arm for silence. "It has been many long months since I've set foot in my home, and I am truly pleased to be back." The crowd cheered, then silenced when Timaeus raised a hand. "But I have not returned to Locri alone. I am pleased to announce that after all these long years, I have finally chosen a bride to be my Magistrate. May I introduce," he gestured to Yugi who rose smiling. "Lord Ujalah, former Prince of Kemet, now Magistrate of Locri and all her people and my new consort." He said the last part with such authoritative happiness like it was the proudest and most important fact of all.

The crowd roared with applause: though some seemed fickle in their cheers, others gazed about confused but most were seduced by the festivities and ceremony. Yugi chose to ignore it all and let Timaeus guide him through the massive doors Rhebekka and Mokuba pulled open.

The inside of the palazzo was no less magnificent on the inside: it focused on the grand entrance with an open vaulted ceiling lit entirely by the glittering windows and huge chandeliers heavy with candles. Several staircases spiraled to higher floors and hallways were opened banisters. Timaeus approached the stairs and had Yugi stand upon the dais of steps.

"Now," Timaeus boomed, but his eyes were on Yugi. "Following the tradition of our Dark Lord when he spirited away his Iron Lady for their wedding night, tonight, the King of Atlantis, his Daughter, and the last two Dragon Knights shall celebrate our union with a grand Feast, a Revel, and a celebration of Gifts."

"But first," Timaeus spun and locked eyes with Yugi. The bright emerald orb glittered with promises and its pearl, vacant twin clouded with the weight of them: both offering him their shield, their sword, and all they were.

"It is tradition that the Groom gift his bride first, upon entering their home." he bowed to Yugi, then whispered softly in Aramaic to Mokuba. "Have all my wishes been met?"

Mokuba nodded. "To the letter." Behind him Rhebekka slipped forward, something glittering between her hands. Yugi's eyes widened with recognition unsure how he'd not seen it before.

"I'll bring it to your rooms," she said in Aramaic, winked and disappeared up the steps. Yugi sighed with relief. He'd been right to trust her with that secret.

"First," Timaeus announced and Yugi spun to face him. A voluptuous woman stepped forward, her golden hair cascaded down her back, longer than even Rhebekka's and her bright, round eyes and full lips were made for laughing. An auburn haired, apple-cheeked girl stood close behind her next to a younger boy with soft wisps of light brown hair and dark eyes set in a boy's face, short for a man grown. The last of the company was a tall man with lightly browned skin and darker hair styled to a point: he boasted a warrior's body and his arms were strong from a life-time of fighting, but his face was set in a neutral frown.

Timaeus nodded and all four stood in a line and dropped to a knee.

"My first gift," he smiled, presenting the handmaidens and manservants. "They are no simple servants, my sweeting." With a gesture of his hand they rose with honest smiles and eager eyes. "Mai is Mistress of the Wardrobe and Lady of the House in Rhebekka's absence. She will gift you with a wardrobe fit for a Royal Magistrate and instruct you on the running's of our household. Anything your precious heart desires, you need but ask her."

Mai stood and threw back her golden curls with an ear-splitting laugh and the whole room winced as she bellowed into it "My sweet Master, you do me the highest honor with your service. My poor apprentices and I were about to die of boredom with only our dear Lord to dress." She had a kind, sodality smile that reminded Yugi of his own sister and he smiled, eager to know her better.

"Serenity, is our Mistress of Citharedes. She will teach you music, our instruments, how to play them, and the songs and steps our country loved best. I trust you will find her company most pleasant as well." He winked, knowing well his consort's love for music.

The girls bowed sweetly and her smile was a kind, innocent thing with no room for gossipy rumors or any judgement but her own. "I look forward to having you as my student and my magistrate."

"Tomoya." The younger boy stumbled forward at his summon. He was a shy thing with a bookish aura and Yugi immediately sensed his discomfort being away from them. "He shall be your personal Steward and Tutor. He will teach you the language of Locri and her history." He squeezed Yugi's hand and whispered. "Until then I asked them all to speak only in Canaanite. I trust you're familiar with the tongue though did well hiding it from my men." His smile was a sly thing torn between admiration and playful scolding.

Yugi's cheeks paled, but he straightened his back and refused to be shamed. He met the shy boy's eyes and smiled sweetly in perfect Canaanite. "I have much to learn from you, but I know you will be a fine teacher."

Tomoya nodded eagerly.

"And last, Tristan, our Master of Arms." The brown-skinned man stepped forward. His eyes narrow and unreadable. "He shall instruct you in the Arts of Self-Defense and train you to fight."

Yugi nodded and said. "I promised to be a disciplined student."

Tristan smiled thinly and nodded.

"And next," Timaeus snapped his fingers. Mai and Serenity giddily rushed forward, holding up a gown for his inspection, forcing a gasp from Yugi's lips. It was beautiful: shiny and silvery like liquefied moonlight with sheer sleeves, cut to expose the shoulders and held in place with silver chains. Subconsciously, he reached a hand to touch it, but hesitated. Sensing his uncertainty, Mai winked and nodded. It was smooth beneath Yugi's touch and ran through his fingers like water. Softer than any linen, he vaguely wondered what it was made from. A stressed wool, silk perhaps? Something softer, sleeker?

"It is a tradition for brides to wear only silver on their wedding days and gold thereafter." Timaeus whispered, his hands steading Yugi's shoulders. "It is yours for tonight and every night after."

"It's beautiful," Yugi praised, his eyes shining. He thanked both woman in turn.

Tristan presented the third gift, a lovely medallion of sterling silver on a long silver chain. The image was of an enthroned couple: in her hands, the queen held a strange-looking insect, her husband held a river, and their free hands were locked together in a loving embrace. The emblem that of Locri's Chief God and Goddess: The Lord of the Dead and the Iron Lady: his badge of office, Yugi realized, as he lifted it into his hands and ran his finger along the Iron Lady's lovely face.

Not caring who was watching or what anyone else through, Yugi spun to Timaeus and hugged him. He smiled wider when Timaeus returned the gesture. When they separated, Yugi placed it back in its box, and thanked Tristan and Timaeus both wholeheartedly.

Yugi knew what came next. With the cheers of the house in the background, he and Timaeus departed through two separate staircases to wash and dress for the evening. Serenity and Mai took his hands and ushered him up the stairs, giggling. Rhebekka slipped past and down the steps, giving him a wink as he did. Yugi nodded and watched her go. He glimpsed her giggling as she whispered something in Mokuba's ear. The man balked, wordless but Yugi heard the loud echo of "WHAT!?" before he disappeared around the stairs and ushered into the communal baths—his own private ones would not be his until after the celebration.

It was open and airy with large colored-glass windows for privacy and beautifully tiled floors. Serenity removed his silks and helped him into a large, alabaster tub Mai was filling with water from a set of copper pipes. The room filled with a loud, gurgling rumble, even after she turned the water off. He sank into the water, submerging completely and letting the water saturate his skin and fan his hair. After months at sea and bathing with cool water, a stool and a bucket: a hot bath was a welcome relief. His muscles relaxed instantly, making him feel weightless. Lost in the serenity, he pouted when someone tapped his head, forcing him to surface.

Mai uplifted a basin over his head, and started washing his hair and combing out the snags. Serenity scrubbed his back and feet, asking him questions while they worked: how he and Timaeus met, what happened when Atlantis invaded? What he was like? What they first spoke about? Did Yugi like him? It blended into details of their wedding day, and the event at sea, and if they consummated their wedding night. Yugi blushed but answered, honestly. They responded to his confessions with bright smiles and looks of compassion: Mai chatting loudly in bemused laughter and Serenity listened, offering soft words of encouragement. They expressed sympathy when he discussed the circumstances of their marriage and his sibling's betrayal, burst out laughing when he detailed the many, many disagreements of their courtship, both before and after they were married, teased him mercilessly when he mentioned their more, romantic moments but refused to discuss them further. By the time the story finished, he was already rinsed, out of the rub and toweled dry.

"Well then," Mai chuckled, brushing his hair until it shone like molten gold and ebony. "Seems we've no need to tell you how lucky you are to have such a kind and handsome man as your husband."

"But we will," Serenity giggled, and anointed him with pomegranate oils. "You forgot he's strong, Mai. He's tall and fierce, and fearless in battle, but his touch is tender and you'll never find a gentler heart." She did his eyes with kohl to emphasize the color.

"And he has chosen well, I think." Mai agreed, with a wink.

"Yes," Serenity smiled, and returned with the dress Timaeus had gifted him earlier.

They helped him into the dress and it fell like wisps over his skin. So soft and sheer, Yugi thought a single touch might unravel it. He dared not move as the girls fastened the silver chains in place. Serenity slid silver sandals onto his feet and Mai slid a belt of woven silver chains around his waist. A silver circler woven in a complex floral pattern crowned his hair.

"Really?" Yugi asked, only half-teasing. "It doesn't bother you that he married me and not the princess." There was a tint of sadness in his curiosity.

Mai whooped so loudly, both Yugi and Serenity winced. "Are they still spreading that rumor? Don't misunderstand, we love our Princess, dearly, but she was never the one for Timaeus. He may be our pride, but he is a simple man at heart, and ruling a Kingdom is a feat he has no patience for, and I think we all could take a lesson from his wisdom."

"Yes. He feigned his ignorance simply because he did not wish to offend her. You have no fear of that in us, Yugi." Serenity smiled. "We've not known you long and already we see you are kind and fierce and strong. You must be or the Magister would never have married you."

"You think so?" Yugi asked with a twinkle in his eye.

The girls giggled. "Yes. The Magister has always been an excellent judge of character. If he has chosen you that is enough for us."

"Yes," Mai said placing a silver diadem atop his gold and red and black crown. "His First has read us both his and his wife's letters and they speak nothing but fondness, and her approval is no east feat to earn. Even the fiercest of his men adore you. Is it true they call you their Little Prince?"

Yugi blushed. "Aye, they do."

"And the Trierarch is not jealous!?" Serenity gasped. "Oh, he must love you dearly to have such faith." Lastly, she tied the silver pendant with the Locrian crest around his neck.

"Now you look like a Prince, or better yet, a Magistrate," Serenity said breathlessly when they were done. They showed him a silver looking-glass and Yugi glanced at his reflection and gasped. The silver fabric clung to his trim waist and slender hips running in rivers of silver, sculpting his curves and pooling at his feet. Mesh sleeves shown silver exposing the small muscles of his arms and curve of his collar. The silvery-white color shimmered against his golden skin and made his eyes glitter like amethyst.

"I…I…look…"

"You look regal," Mai whispered encouragingly. "If Timaeus was not in love with you before, he surely will be now."

Yugi felt his cheeks heat. He stared at his reflection, his mind swimming but one thought. persisted. _Just wait until Timaeus sees me in_ this. The thought filled him with a wicked pleasure and his heart trembled with excitement.

"You mean love him more," Serenity corrected, apple-cheeks pulled into a cheerful smile that suited her lovely face. "And do you love him?"

It was an honest question, but something about it made Yugi shiver. Did he love Timaeus? He knew in his heart he did, but it was a tricky thing to admit. "I know I care for him more than I have anyone else," He said softly. His eyes tinted with sadness. "But, I don't know much about him. He's told me some, but not much, and there is so much I'd like to ask…" he trailed off.

They both nodded. "He is a very private man," Serenity assured him brushing aside a loose bang. "Only the King knows him best but I doubt even he is privy to all of his secrets. Even we know little of his past. But it is a small thing."

"Aye, he's already told you some, and that's good. Perhaps in time he'll tell you the rest. You're lucky to have such a kind and loving man for your husband."

It dawned on Yugi then: they'd only seen Timaeus as Magister. He was their Lord and Master, albeit a kind Master, he still was one nonetheless. Yugi had seen all the sides of him: The Magister who ruled with kindness and fairness; the Warrior who conquered with ruthless efficiency, the Trierarch whose command was as harsh as it was just, the Man and Rouge, who trusted him with his heart, and more importantly his secrets, and set his soul afire with his passionate embraces—all of them were Timaeus and all of them _made_ Timaeus. He was a man capable of both terrible cruelty and overwhelming gentleness. Yugi blushed, recalling. Even then, Timaeus had never once pressured Yugi to go further—though doing so must've frustrated him to the point of pain. Thus, he was not only a man of endearing kindness but incomparable patience as well.

The memory of his marvelous flesh came back to him with shameless clarity: the way water cascaded in rivulets over valleys of muscle, the way his strong arms flexed whenever he held him, the way his scars rippled across his chest when he moved. That powerfully-built body excited him the same way his valley of scars worried him. Timaeus was like a broken vase, damaged but lovely and more because of it. _And all mine_ , he thought with cheeky delight.

"And besides," Mai whispered, coquettishly, her eyes aglow with merry wickedness. "That is what the consummation is for."

Yugi felt his whole face burn.

A loud, impatient knock disturbed any further opportunity for conversation. Mai strutted to the door, while Serenity helped him to the hall.

Critias stood in the doorway. His face was a neutral mask with no hint of friendliness and no desire to chat. His eyes widened for the briefest of moments when his gaze fell on Yugi, but just as quickly he looked away snorting.

They fixed each other with a hard gaze.

"The ceremony will start soon," Critias grumbled and there was no masking the bitterness in his voice. "I'll not have you embarrass Timaeus by being late in front of our King and Prince—Gah! Wretched woman!"

Mai smacked him across the back of the head before he could finish the insult. He spun to her eyes furious and blazing. Mai did not flinch. "You dare—"

"You forget yourself, Dragon Knight," Mai cut him off. Her face was a mask of indifference and her voice held a hard edge. "You may be Magister of the South, but this is the _West_. This is Locri and you are a guest in the House of her Magister, and you will do well to remember it."

She stepped passed him and stood proudly at Yugi's shoulder. Serenity on his other side. "This man is our Magistrate. _He_ is the one our Magister chose as his. When you insult him, you insult our Magister and you insult yourself. You _will_ respect him."

Critias glared at her but said nothing. He spun to the door, his gaze commanding the younger to follow. Serenity squeezed his shoulder, worriedly. Yugi flashed her a reassuring smile, squared his shoulders, and followed the Knight. This was his wedding celebration after all, in the Atlantian sense, he would not let this man ruin it for him.

He followed him through a darkened hallway, lit only by the flaming lights of the setting sun through the expansion of window and the candles alighting the walls. The silence, eerie. Yugi sighed and chose to ignore it. The Knight was being civil, at least and Timaeus was waiting for him after all. He only prayed for no distraction.

They descended the stairs, where the Great Hall was lit and lively with festivities, even as they awaited their guest of honor.

The Gods were not on his side this night, however. Cristina was waiting for him.

From the foot of the stairs, she stood tall and imperial, her intentions evident in the intimidating way she composed herself. It abandoned her instantly when she gazed upon him. Gowned in a flowing form-fitting gown of shot-silver with white mesh sleeves curled like smoke about his arms, even she could not deny how fetching he looked. The shiny, silvery monotone seemed to highlight his rainbow of colors: his honey-gold skin, the midnight tresses, the crimson streaks, the golden crown of bangs, the striking violet hue of his blue eyes. The simple silver chains adorning his shoulders, collar, waist, and hair exemplified the natural beauty of his round features with a soft elegance in a form of stripped-down loveliness.

Temporally stunned, it was a miracle of her will she did not swoon. In the company of her maids and the ladies of her father's court, Cristina herself had always been the most beautiful by comparison, the most fetching, the most desired. Compared to the stunning beauty of this Kemet creature, that all seemed like some cruel joke.

Yugi quickened his pace, but Critias blocked his path. "Go." He bit.

Yugi narrowed his eyes but obeyed. Critias stepped away leaving them alone in the hallway.

"Did you need something?" Yugi asked her, cordial and patient.

Broken from her stupor, the princess collected herself and matched his comity. "I will speak with you, urgently." She harrumphed, and turned for him to follow her.

Suspicious immediately, Yugi narrowed his eyes but followed.

Once they were alone, she turned to him and spoke. "I assume you know why I asked you here."

"How could I possibly know that?" Yugi interrupted swiftly and crossed his arms. Restrained patience arched his brow. "You haven't said what it is you want of me."

She flinched visibly but collected herself.

"Then I shall get straight to the point." She cleared her throat and took a breath. Then in a voice full of forced comity, she spoke "I know you do not like me and you have no reason to trust me and that our first meeting was not...ideal and for that, I apologize." She had the grace to look away, embarrassed, but in a flash, it was gone. "I understand why you are here. I understand your marriage and the purposes for it. Timaeus has always been a man of unquestionable honor and fierce loyalty. It was through no fault of your own and I can accept that."

He opened his mouth to protest but she continued before he could.

"You must understand. Timaeus is the pride of our country and with that honor comes certain...arrangements...expectations, if you will." She began slipping into an imperial plural. "He was adopted into the royal family but he rose himself as our Dragon Knight, our Trierarch and our Magister of Locri. He is well loved in his city and his country. You have seen how they love him," she added with a slight sharpness. "And he has proven himself worthy of our love and our loyalty." She paused as if that explained everything. "He is a good ruler, a worthy commander and a kind man and even the King thinks of him highly. It would be only natural that he would become a candidate for the King's heir." She hinted, waiting.

Yugi's nails sank into his arms. "What is it you wish of me, Princess?" He asked again voice even. His mask of indifference did not falter:

Her's cracked. "Timaeus was always meant to be our King." Her patient voice held a sharp edge like she was scolding a selfish child. "Of course, in his loyalty, he would never challenge our right to succession or accuse our father of disinheriting us, but his naivety is not his fault, though we all hoped in time he would see the solution for himself but alas that day was not to come. Just so, Timaeus was always meant to be our King and our alliance with your country does not change that, though it does complicate things."

She leaned closer her large eyes fixated on him like he was a child daring to claim his innocence after committing a wrong. The arrogance of it, took Yugi's breath away.

Her lips curled with the faintest of smiles. She whispered, as if they were privy to some coup secret. "Timaeus cares for you, and I know you care for him" she admitted though it embittered her to confess it. "So do I, I always have, and we _all_ care for Atlantis. Wherever you were born, Atlantis is your home now and you owe her your loyalty, yes? We must make our choices based on what is best for Atlantis and her people, not just ourselves." Her words were even, patient as if persuading a child why he deserved a spanking. "And you know what is best. What needs to be done." It wasn't a question.

Stunned mystification caused Yugi's eyes to bulge. Whatever words he thought of in protest died in his throat.

She smiled again, sharper this time. "Fret not, I have a solution, a proposal if you will. Timaeus has made you aware of our marriage laws, yes? Then you are familiar with the second Ceremony? You know you can decide if you wish to remain married or dissolve the affair. Here is what I propose: in six months' time, you will learn the workings of Locri. Timaeus will teach you, his house will teach you and you will learn. Then, when it is time for the Second Ceremony you will dissolve the union. It must be you, as to not threaten the alliance and Timaeus is too honorable to do so, anyway. When you do, you must insist that it is best for all that he becomes King. He will not listen to me but if you suggest it, he just might see reason. And when he does, I will tell Father to insist you be made Magister of Locri in his place. The people are already fond of you, his men acknowledge you as their leader, and doubtless the people will accept you if Timaeus recommends you himself. Our alliance will remain intact, but through bonds much stronger than marriage. You and Timaeus may see each other whenever you like. I will not keep him from you, I know he adores you and you care for him, I do not mind sharing if I am not neglected. I will do well and so will my husband and so will you. Together, we will make Atlantis great, and all you must do is dissolve the marriage and convince him to marry me instead." Her voice seethed with absolute conviction and there was an almost fervent glee in her eyes as she said it.

For a while, Yugi just stood there, too shocked to speak and for the briefest of moments he even saw the wisdom in her logic, considered it, and perhaps a month ago, he would have even believed it.

Then he banished the thought and crushed it beneath the heel of his sandal and what he knew to be true. What Timaeus had told him was true.

"No." He said evenly.

"What?" Her whole expression dropped, so certain that she'd convinced him.

"No," he repeated more sternly. His brows knitted together and anger filled his voice. "I will not dissolve my marriage to Timaeus, and I will not tell him to marry you instead, and damn you for thinking I would ever consider it!"

Cristina stumbled back as if she'd been slapped. "You dare-"

"Yes, I dare!" Yugi cut her off. "You came here hoping to intimidate me into questioning my marriage, you brag about the glory and greatness of Atlantis when all you care about is getting what you want regardless of who you must hurt and what Timaeus wants, and then you have the sheer audacity to try and guilt me into doing what is best for all when all you think of is what is best for you. So yes, Princess," he spat the word as if it were poison. "I dare."

She stared at him for a whole minute, shocked. Her face scrunched up with rage and she snarled "Insolent child! How dare you speak as if you know what I want! What Timaeus wants! You think you know him so well? Ha! I know him as you do not."

A month ago, those words would have stung. But he knew the truth now. "Perhaps you do. You knew him then when he was young and wild." He couldn't help but chuckle at how he described him, so much like Yugi was now. "But that does not matter to me. I don't care who he was then, or what he's done or who's bed he slept in." He watched her blush, horrified with embarrassment as he said that. "I care about who he is now. That is the man I know, that is the man I married, that is the man I love."

He stopped himself, eyes widening. It was the first time he'd said it. The first time he'd admitted it to himself or anyone else. Having done so to this woman of all people? He laughed at the irony.

Cristina's face contorted with rage and she screamed. "You would deny him greatness! You would deny him his destiny!"

"Enough," Yugi said in an aggravated huff. "You act as if he's still the same boy your father brought home. Do you know why he never proposed to you? Why he never met those 'expectations'? It wasn't because he was naive as you so childishly put it. He knew well what was wanted and he simply refused to humor it."

"No!" Cristina said turning too quickly. "I refuse to believe he would willingly refuse to acknowledge it, unless he did not know. You know nothing! He did not want father to disinherit me, he didn't know father wanted him to be king."

"He knew," Yugi said evenly. "He just chose not to."

"You know nothing." Cristina said quickly.

"I do," Yugi said. For a moment, he pitied her. Saw not a cruel, selfish princess but a love-struck girl who'd lost her true love and was desperate to claim him back. How could she not see herself as the heroine of her own tale? As the Princess reclaiming her beloved Knight from the Black Bride. It sounded like one of the tales his sisters used to tell him. Kemet stories were filled with false woman and lovers rescuing their husbands.

But this wasn't a fairy tale. And he wasn't the Black Bride in this story. "He told me."

He walked passed her and she stood there, stupefied. He was content to leave it there, but she was not.

"We are not done!" She spun to him, her command held no room for argument.

Yugi did not look at her. "I am." He said and started for the door.

She followed him, just as Critias descended the stairs.

"I believe this is the way forward, my dear," Hamos swooped in front of her and gestured towards another entrance, effectively stopping both princess and Knight. The three of them blinked with surprise.

Hamos rose and looked to Yugi. "He's waiting for you at the main entrance." He explained.

Yugi blinked. "Do you hate me, too?" he asked suspicious. Hamos had always been indifferent of him and showed no interest in his marriage, but his sudden appearance was too coincidental to overlook.

Then something happened they did not expect. Hamos smiled. "Now why would I do that?" He asked. "Is it my business who Timaeus takes to wife? I did not know."

"No," Yugi said surprised and undignified, then chuckled. "It is not."

"Then what reason have I to interfere?" Hamos smiled again, ignoring Critias and Cristina completely. "Timaeus is my honored companion and I trust his judgement." He offered Yugi a final nod before leading his companions away. It was the closest he could muster to a confession of approval.

Yugi started at the departing trio, stupefied, then all but smiled.

"There you are," Yugi jumped and spun. Timaeus stood in the entrance of the massive doors, splendid in a new black wool tunic and pants with a matching mantle trimmed with silver fur thrown over his shoulders. Pinned at the heart was a silver dragon with a sword in its mouth and an emerald for its single eye. His hair was combed and crowned with a black iron circlet and a silver pendant depicting the emblem of Locri tied about his throat.

For a full moment, they could do nothing but stare at the other, until the distance became too much and Timaeus swooped forward and stole a kiss from his lovely bride. Yugi returned it with just as much fervor.

"You look _wonderful_." He breathed as if reciting an ancient prayer.

"And you," Yugi replied, gazing him shamelessly with his eyes. "I've only ever seen you in your armor."

"Or nothing." Timaeus teased, kissing him again. The opportunity for more was lost as the doors slowly tugged open. Giving the other a special look, they laced their hands, and stepped into the revel together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! This was a fun chapter to do.
> 
> Originally, I was gonna come up with different names for the characters with Greek origins (since I plan on turning this into an original novel) but since i kept the original names of the cast before i decided to keep it the same for consistency. Also originally i was gonna have Tea be Yugi's music teacher, but I came up with a much better arc involving her that i like MUCH better ;) here's a hint, it includes Otogi and there will be a hint next chapter.
> 
> Also, i know its VERY hard not to see Cristina as a sympathetic character right now, but just wait, she'll have her shinning moment.
> 
> I'm hoping now that updates will be more frequent, now, but once Part 2 is finished, this story will be going on hold. I will be plotting and and semi-pansing Part 3 and now an official Part 4-I've got a lot more ideas for this story and i'm really excited to expand on it and see where it goes. In the mean time I'll be working on original stories as well as getting Raccoon and the Shadow King (which will be going through a name change) and At the King's Pleasure back on track!
> 
> NEXT TIME: In which Timaeus shares his thoughts, the Magister and Magistrate's Wedding Revel is in full swing, gifts are exchange, a feast is demolished and Yugi gets his first test as Locri's Magistrate, and the marriage is, at long last, consummated, though not necessarily in that order.


	57. Revel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Timaeus shares his thoughts, the Magister and Magistrate's Wedding Revel is in full swing, gifts are exchange, a feast is demolished and Yugi gets his first test as Locri's Magistrate, and the marriage is, at long last, consummated, though not necessarily in that order.

_Chapter LVII: Revel_

 

Atlantis marriages were celebrated with a revel. And before any revel, there must be a feast.

The heart of the palazzo’s great hall had long, low tables filled with a smorgasbord of delights of a dozen cuisines—pastas and fresh breads; fruits, both honeyed and dried; and a plethora of seafood dishes. The air was hazy with the smell of salted fish marinated in olive oil and fresh herbs, the pungent steam of vegetables, and the sweetness of fruits and finely-aged wine. Crabs were boiled in their shells and drizzled with lemon juice; cod soaked in olive oil and sprinkled with herbs, or lathered in a garlic and parsley cream. And the deserts: fruits marinated in their juices, coated with sugar, or glazed with honey; buttery tarts and tasty creams—and last and best of all, there were pomegranates. Pomegranate wine, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate jams ground into a sticky paste or mixed with cream and stuff in tartlets, or served fresh and raw.

Only the best for Timaeus’ little sweeting—the Trierarch smiled proudly and sipped a glass of his own pomegranate wine. The sweet, fruity taste filled his mouth and brought a wider smile to his lips. It was a small pleasure compared to the delight blazing brightly in Yugi’s eyes and the open, wondrous look adorning his face. If anything, it made him even more stunning than when he’d caught him in the hallway, crowned and beautiful and every inch an Atlantian bride. Mai and Serenity had done phenomenally, and Yugi had worn it so well—if not for his Kemet gold skin, he’d have almost passed for a native Atlantian.

To say their entrance had been met with approval would’ve been a gross gloss over of the sheer jollification of their audience, in which they expressed their honor and the hunger in which they devoured their favorite food and new delectables in celebration of the newlyweds. When they entered, the crowd had parted and the whole room erupted with cheers and congratulations, the clangor of cups and the low mutter of a hundred drunken and delighted toasts to anything and everything they could think of in their regards. Toasts to their health, their happiness, their future, their fertility, to many happy days and happier nights, to their future children and their children’s children, and their long lives and their marriage bed—all of which had reduced his sweet lad into a beaming, blushing bride who could only laugh and smile and thank them for their kindness.

They sat at the high table on a raised dais overlooking the others. On his left was the King and his daughter, to his right his bride. At the table below him sat his Officers with their wives—all but Otogi, who had found himself at the wrong end of his leviathan of a wife’s temper when he had returned home with a still-healing arm. The rest of the crew scattered throughout, conversing with servants and dancers and songstresses. In the center, Serenity’s students played lyrical tunes, and sang love ballads on stringed lyres and wooden pipes.

Yugi had absorbed it all with utter fascination and sheer delight. Timaeus could only smile as he cheerfully sampled a little of everything the chefs had prepared, and they did so with the same excitement as the boy sampled them. Timaeus watched him now, sipping a glass of flavored pomegranate wine and sampling a fruit tart and a piece of lemoned fish. He moaned with such satisfaction and delight that Timaeus almost shuddered.

Timaeus squeezed his goblet tightly, hoping to see that same look on Yugi’s face, but for an entirely different reason.

“Our Prince seems to be faring well,” Dartz chuckled behind him. Timaeus spun to face him and cast a quick glance towards Yugi, but the boy was deep in conversation with some servants and Serenity’s songstresses who’d just finished a rather vigorous performance. The boy’s eyes widened in fascination as they showed him the new instruments and explained how they were played.

“Very,” Timaeus said and smiled wider. “He’s quite the autodidact.” He took another sip of wine and cast Yugi a sideways glance, but he was lost in their tales of concerts and romances and weddings and beddings. “I’ve no doubt he’ll take to being Locri’s Magistrate the same way he took to being _The Eye_ ’s second Quartermaster.”

Dartz nodded approvingly. “I admit I am pleased by this vicissitude,” he said, sipping his own wine, a twinkle in his golden eyes. “Considering your union was not exactly a happy one when we departed. I trust you and your new consort have reconciled since then? I’d like to send the new Pharaoh word that his brother’s marriage is now indeed a happy one.”

“We both did,” Timaeus admitted. “Neither of us hated each other, nor was he truly angered by the union—it was other things we needed to clarify. Nonetheless, I _did_ deeply regret marrying him in that fashion—not the act of marrying him himself—and I thank the Iron Lady every day that he’s forgiven me.”

Dartz nodded and gave him a comforting smile. “Perhaps it was not ideal, but then again, a successful marriage was never an easy feat, and I’ve seen plenty of marriages that started with far less than you and he did.” He cast a glance towards the Princess who refused a plate offered to her as graciously as she could. It had been offered only after Timaeus and his bride had refused it. Her smile was set so hard in her face he feared her teeth might crack. Her eyes were fixated on the bride and he saw the anger there. A princess-born, Cristina had never liked being anything but the center of the attention, and doubtless being second to the Dragon Knight’s _consort_ only blackened her mood. He shot her a warning look, and she nursed her resentment. 

Sighing, he leaned closer to Timaeus as if to whisper a secret.

“He’s sweet on you, you know,” he said _sotto voce_. Timaeus nearly dropped his cup. He spun to his King with an expression the man had not seen on his face since he was a reckless teenager whom the King had threatened to scold in front of the entire Royal Guard for insolence. Dartz’ smile curled at the corners. “ ‘Tis true, if he’s not fallen already.” His eyes twinkled and he stole another sip from his glass.

Timaeus could not answer. He turned to Yugi who was still laughing, taking a large gulp from a cup of honeyed pomegranate wine, and accepted another dessert offered him. Timaeus felt his heart flutter. Good to see that the day’s events had not robbed him of his appetite. Then there _would_ be great cause for concern.

The King’s words came back to him and he stole another sip of wine, his own stomach in a roll. _Was_ Yugi in love with him? He’d long since accepted his feelings for the sweet, spirited boy and had told him so. He had no need to deny it, though it still shocked him just how quickly he’d fallen. He had no doubt Yugi adored him, and that Yugi felt the same passionate pull towards him that Timaeus felt, but was it love? It was his deepest wish and his darkest craving. The one thing he’d wanted more than he had ever wanted anything else was Yugi as his: mind, body and soul—for his own heart and soul were already Yugi’s. It was deeper than want, or lust, or even need. He didn’t care if it took him months or years to win Yugi’s heart—he swore he would—but… had he already? Was the King right? Had he earned his little one’s heart and not even realized it?

The opportunity to ponder the thought further was lost when Dartz rose to his feet, clapped his hands together, and the music and feasting and toasting came to an abrupt halt.

“A toast! Friends, we have gathered here in witness to the unity of Timaeus—adoptive son of the Royal Family, Trierarch of _The Eye of Timaeus_ , Magister of Locri and the first of my Dragon Knights—and Ujalah Yugi—former Prince of Kemet, brother to Pharaoh Psusennes I and his Great Royal Wife, and now, Magistrate of Locri.” His voice echoed in a congratulatory bellow that commanded all in the room. He lifted a goblet high. “It is my greatest pleasure to announce the Magister and Magistrate of Locri.” He gestured a hand to the couple, his voice high and meritorious. “For our beloved Lord has certainly chosen well!” he lionized. “Let us not forget that in every way our young prince is skilled as a healer and strong as a leader, he is also splendiferous as a bride!”

The crowd knew what to do. Following the King’s toast, they burst in a long, loud chorus of ululating cheers: raising cups, thumping fists on tables, and toasting all over again.

Yugi spun to attention and smiled. Dartz’ comments made him blush.

Beyond the widows, the sun had disappeared beneath the sea and the moon hung low, bathing the night sky with stars and amethyst mist. A string of more toasts followed, and then all the attendees gathered around the dais, arms loaded with handsels for the presentation of Yugi’s bridal gifts. Then would come the revelry, and then their first night.

Timaeus took a large gulp of wine, suddenly nervous. Next to him, Yugi took a loud breath, straightened his back and folded his hands in his lap—it was all he could do to keep himself from shaking. Timaeus shifted closer, took Yugi’s hand in his, and gave it a comforting squeeze.

They looked at each other, saying nothing—but the smile and the contact were all they needed. They turned their attention to the chain of gift-givers and the procession continued.

In Atlantian tradition, the commoners and staff members presented their gifts first. Their gifts varied between splendor and practicality and given in plenty: slippers and leather boots, golden chains and bejeweled belts, leather pants and wool skirts, silk robes and linen shirts. There were books and scrolls, and paints and brushes, exotic plants and furs, and even a copper tub. There were also bottles of perfumes and scents, and special oils given with salacious winks that made him blush. More gifts followed, more than he could ever want or know what to do with.

The seamstresses promised him a grand wardrobe, and as proof of their talent, presented him several gowns of lovely-hued silks, leather tights and beautifully-embroidered tunics for everyday-wear. There were furred slippers, gloves, and a long wool coat the color of clouds and trimmed with fox fur for the colder months. Yugi adored them all, running his fingers over the soft fur.

Tristan gifted him with a pair of beautiful daggers, like the sais popular in Kemet, and a set of leathery armor for his training. He smiled warmly as he explained their purpose, and smiled again when Yugi thanked him earnestly.

The songstresses gave their gift together. Serenity presented him with his very own lyre and _cithara_ and a _qules_ pipe, and she promised to teach him to play. Yugi thanked them with so much zeal, he could barely contain himself. Timaeus smiled at the expression.

Tomoya apologized for his gift. “I’m afraid I could not afford anything lavish,” the scholar explained, his eyes downcast and voice soft. He lowered a collection of scrolls and books from his arms, dramatically different from the ones Yugi had known in Kemet, and a small case of inks and brushes. “But your husband’s First tells me of your fondness for the world and I thought these would please you best.” They were histories and stories of Locri and Atlantis—details of her laws and customs and mythologies. Yugi thanked him profusely.

Next came _The Eye_ ’s officers. Ryou’s gift was an atlas filled with magnificent maps of the world, a large wooden model of Locri and Atlantis, and a golden compass. Malik gifted him with a lovely gondola visible through the window with bright silver sails and a great green hull. Raphael gave him a series of metal brooches and pendants embedded with the enthroned couple of Locri’s seal or shaped like a silver dragon with a single emerald eye and a sword in its mouth—Timaeus’ own symbol. Otogi’s gift, a small chest of apothecary bottles labeled and filled with different combinations of dried herbs was given by proxy from Malik and Ryou: a collection of teas.

Rhebekka and Mokuba gave their gifts together: one for Yugi and one for Timaeus. For Timaeus, a shimmering green helm with the metal melted and carved in the shape of a dragon’s skull, one eye a bright emerald the other a slash across a shimmering pearl. For Yugi, Rhebekka opened a large chest to reveal a series of glass bottles, bushels of dried herbs and metal physician tools, some Yugi recognized, others he did not.

“You’re the Physician now,” she said with a haughty smirk and patted the swell of her stomach. “I won’t be able to soon, anyway, once this little one’s occupying all my time.” She shared a special look with her husband and they shared an impish laugh.

Yugi giggled as if privy to some joke Timaeus did not know.

“Between the two of us, my lady, I’m sure Locri will be the healthiest county in Atlantis!”

Rhebekka threw her head back laughing. “I do enjoy a challenge!”

Critias and Hermos stepped forward next, each one holding a shiny sword: one a shimmering silver blade with emeralds encrusted in the onyx hilt, the other a great long sword chased with gold. The animosity was evident between them but they nursed it well, dropped to one knee, and presented their gifts. Instructed in the traditional refusal of the “warrior’s” gifts, Yugi declined elegantly. “Such heroic gifts are fit for a fine warrior.” He rose and bowed. “Please let my Lord Husband hold these in my stead.”  Mokuba took the swords and thus, Timaeus received his bride’s gifts.

And last came the King. He beckoned his hand and a servant came forward and held a small box. Both Yugi and Timaeus blinked, surprised. They turned to the King, who only smiled. “A symbol of our Locri’s greatness and a promising blessing of your union.”

Cristina looked completely unimpressed.

Yugi untied the ribbon curiously. Something flew out of the box landing on the back of Yugi’s hand, and Timaeus saw what was. Yugi’s eyes bulged with horrified fright: the large insect stared up at him with huge sparkling eyes set in a scaled head, sampling the unstable ground with its six, spindly legs. It lifted its translucent wings, and shook its antennae, looking every inch some alien monster. Yugi sat frozen for a minute—then his face contorted with terror. Hot unshed tears prickled his eyes; his lips trembled as if to scream, but the sound would not come. His reactions slowed from fright, Timaeus caught the way his hand trembled to strike and snatched his wrist. The cicada backed away, cautiously.

Silence more dreadful than a scream was followed by skeptical murmurs. All eyes fell upon them, wide with shock and bewilderment. The King looked concerned, Cristina looked delighted, but Yugi hadn’t noticed any of them and simply stared at Timaeus, his eyes voicelessly asking what his words could not.

Timaeus wove their fingers together and smiled lovingly. “It is called a cicada,” he explained, rubbing Yugi’s wrist as the creature crawled along his hand to soothe his fears. “It is to Locri what a scarab beetle is to your people.”

Yugi’s eyes widened. Horrified realization causes his eyes to widen, but Timaeus only smiled and released his hand. “I’m curious how our King managed to obtain such a rare gift.” He smiled over his shoulder. “As they only appear once every fifteen seasons and only in spring.”

Dartz smiled and nodded, explaining, “They are proof that your marriage is a blessed one.” The King beamed. “The cicada is a symbol of Locri’s musical heart and her Lord and Lady, for they are born in the Underworld and sleep beneath the earth. Then in spring, when the Iron Lady returns to her mother, they emerge from the earth and fill the air with songs, a song of love from her husband, reminding her that he will wait until her return. The Locrian cicada is especially sacred because they sing from the trees, where everywhere else, they sing from the ground. Your union must be especially blessed, for this year they emerged from the earth in late summer,, all singing their lover’s song.”

At that moment, the creature chose to open its wings and shake them so rapidly they produced sound. Yugi stared at it, his eyes still wide and his hand still trembling but less afraid. Timaeus leaned and whispered in his Aramaic. “If it frightens you, I can hold it.”

If Yugi heard him, he gave no warning. His eyes were focused on the tiny creature, listening to the sound it created: like hundreds of tiny metal bells jingling, like thousands of wooden beads rattled together, like a chain of metal disks shaken and stirred to create a pretty sound. Slowly, Yugi’s fear subsided and his lips curved into a small smile. A stray tear escaped his eye.

“Forgive me,” he said, wiping it away. “That sound… it reminds me of the sistrums my mother used to play.”

The King smiled, happy his gift that was meant to be symbolic of love had brought back such a fond and personal memory.

“Aurelius?” Yugi asked, still smiling. Only Timaeus noticed that his hands still trembled. “Would you be greatly offended if I asked to set it free?”

The question brought another round of silence. Bemused, the King said, “Can I ask why?”

Yugi stood slowly so as not to disturb the insect in his hand. “You said it yourself—he’s slept in the earth for nearly fifteen seasons, waiting for his mate. This song he sings is for her… It would be cruel to keep them separated, when I have already found mine.”

The room was silent—the crowd unsure whether to appraise the decision or be aghast with the insult. The skeptical faces of before hardened, searching for weakness. Timaeus turned to his royal guests. A smile slit the Princess’ face, but the King’s was a neutral mask, unreadable and void.

Wisely, Yugi hadn’t move, his hands moved to gently cup the insect in his palm, still singing its rattling love ballad. Timaeus kept a tight squeeze on Yugi’s other hand and his eyes on the King.

Then the King smiled. “No, I don’t think he would enjoy that at all,” he laughed and ushered a hand to the balcony.

Yugi quickly sped to the balcony. A pair of servants opened the doors. He held up his hands and in the slight breeze that followed, the cicada stirred, uncertain if he was truly free. “Go,” Yugi whispered. Spreading its wings, they all watched the cicada sail away into the night leaving an echo of soft, rattling bells.

 “Yes, bright blessings have indeed been bestowed upon this union,” said the King. He once again rose a cup to Timaeus. “You could not have asked for a kinder bride!”

Humbled and awed by the gesture, the rest of the house followed suit and soon, the celebration began anew.

“Or a braver one,” he whispered the last bit to Timaeus in secret. Timaeus did not hear him, transfixed on the boy standing in the balcony light. The slight breeze blowed the silks about him like billowing wings, the silvery moonlight glittered across his skin and his eyes illuminated him in the way the sun never could, and the romantic chime of bells following him as he stirred, brave and beautiful even in his terror and uncertainty… He was like an ethereal muse, or the Moon herself stepped down from the sky.

Timaeus could bear it no longer, and he abandoned his chair, his guests, and the whole party and stole across the room, swept his Yugi into his arms and—not caring who watched—kissed him with more love and devotion than he ever had before. As the world faded to only the sweet softness of Yugi’s lips and his gentle hands around his neck, Timaeus heard the cicada’s romantic melody singing in the background. An eternity later, he pulled away and Yugi met his eyes, his face dazed and dreamy-eyed. He kissed him again, this time on the cheek.

“You are magnificent.” He scooped Yugi up and pressed their foreheads together. “And as brave as you are beautiful.”

“I wasn’t scared,” Yugi protested, but he was too lost in his daze to argue properly. “I didn’t know what it was. I thought it would bite me.”

Timaeus was loo lost to laugh. Instead, he spun to the crowd, his lovely bride in his arms and cried. “Let the revelry begin!”

The crowd erupted with a final toast of cheers, and the revelers began their celebration—dancing wildly, drinking greedily, and singing in a thousand voices that somehow blended harmoniously in wassails and the clanging of wood cannikins and jeweled cups. Timaeus ignored all of it and carried Yugi across the room. The King nodded as they passed while Cristina ignored them completely. Critias scowled. Hermos grinned. Mai whooped loudly and gave a salacious wink. The girls giggled behind their hands and the men snickered. Their shipmates clicked their goblets together loudly and downed more wine, catching glimpses of their Magister and Magistrate as they passed.

“And just where are you off to?” Ryou asked, half-drunk and dizzy.

Only then did Timaeus stop, his smirk curled into a mischievous grin that made Yugi blush. Oh, how he adored that blush—and by the time this night was done, it would never leave that pretty face again.

“Where else?” he said, dashing with amative confidence and haughty pride. “To consummate our marriage, of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so much fun to write once I changed it to Timaeus' POV. I realized we hadn't gotten his POV in a while and I felt it was the perfect time to do it-and it was SO much fun to show his own feelings for Yugi and how they've affected him.
> 
> I'm especially proud of that Cicada scene. My research in to ancient Locri shows the cicada was a symbol of locri musically and like Egypt many of their instruments had a rattling or cricket song sound to mimic the cicada's music. The cicada was also a symbol of resurrection and rebirth as well as the Lord of the Dead and Iron Lady (in case some of you still haven't figured out their true identities ;)
> 
> Since the ancient Greeks believed the underworld was LITERALLY a world under the ground everything under the earth from the moles to tree roots to jewels and crystals to the dead belonged to the Realm of Hades, Lord of the Death. Cicada's spent most of their lives under ground in cycles of thirteen to seventeen years, when they matured the burst forth from the ground filling the air with song in late sprig and early summer (identical to how the Iron Lady was returned to the world above for half the year and then returned to her Husband in autumn and winter) since male cicada's were the only ones that sang, they were also a symbol of lovers. It was incredibly rare but sometimes the thirteen and seventeen year cycles would align, and a child born from a combination of these two cycles was a remarkable event. I really wanted to tie this into the Atlantis culture...but given Yugi has never seen one, I figured it would be a terrifying experience for him.
> 
> I gotta say, in the original story Dratz was meant to be a huge jerk but I like him much better as an ally to Yugi, and as a father figure to Timaeus who simply wants him to be happy and can see Yugi obviously makes him happy. Its a fun dynamic to play with! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! the next one is in the works!
> 
> NEXT TIME: At long last, the moment you have all been waiting for: gifts are given, secrets are revealed, promises are made and kept and after an intense first meeting,. a tumultuous marriage, months at sea, and a VERY rigorious test of control Timaeus and Yugi at long last consummate their marriage...
> 
> Or in which Yugi is a bold bawny minx and Timaeus is a horny devil


	58. Redemancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one in which you have all been waiting for...

_Chapter LVIII: Redamancy_

The wild ruckus erupted with an encore of salacious slurs and bawdy jokes and shouts of ribald suggestion, but the cacophony was nothing but a dull whisper to the two lovers stealing away up the stairs. Timaeus gently grasped Yugi's hand, mindful of the long dress and the shyness in his eyes.

Their new rooms were a section all on their own, accessible only by a pair of spiral steps on either side of an open balcony above the Great Hall. The only three rooms were the Magister's private chambers, the Magistrate's, and their shared bedchamber. Timaeus shoved open the massive double doors and gestured his bride inside. They closed with a resounding slam behind them. The silence inside was tranquil compared to the ruckus outside.

"Tim—" Before Yugi could finish, Timaeus swept him up and crushed their lips together. He surrendered and moaned into the kiss, returning it with equal fervor—his heart beating in painful staccatos. Nervous fingers rose to clench Timaeus' arms. Strong hands grabbed Yugi's thighs. He felt those hands on him, one moving to cup his bottom, the other slivering to the back of his neck. Timaeus' lips found his throat. Yugi moaned louder, craning his neck.

His hands stroked the valley between Yugi's pelvis and thigh, tantalizing the skin there. The other slithered down his back. Yugi trembled helplessly, all shaking hands and quivering thighs. His knees buckled but a strong arm encircled his waist. Touches and lips moved lower, stroking him through the thin cloth. Yugi's back arched forward, his mouth opened in a loud, voiceless scream—all breath and no sound. Trembling hands braced the strong wood behind him. One more ambitious than its twin grabbed Timaeus' shoulder and squeezed tight. Timaeus' hands slipped lower and Yugi's thighs trembled and clenched. A calloused hand roughly seized his bottom and squeezed.

Yugi's eyes flung open and he released a loud shrilling sound, high and mouse-like. Timaeus stopped and pulled away, blinking. Yugi covered his mouth. His eyes widened with mortified horror. Timaeus' face cocked to the side, curious and bird-like. "Yugi…?" He amusedly snorted. "… Did you just—"

"No!"

Timaeus' face broke out into a grin. His consort was quite red in the face after eking out that quick but shy meep. "You've never made that sound before." His eyes flashed with lascivious curiosity. He dropped to the bare patch of Yugi's chest and dipped low, tasting the soft skin. Yugi's face exploded with more color and his hands shot to Timaeus' shoulders.

"T-Tim…" The word came out in a strangled gasp.

"I wonder what other sounds you can make…" Timaeus whispered. His warm breath danced across Yugi's skin, making him shudder. Yugi blushed brightly and buried his face in his arm. Timaeus halted his attentions and pulled it away, looking deep into Yugi's violet eyes, darkened from bashful desire.

"Now when did you become so shy?" he asked with a saucy smile.

"I am not!" Yugi protested with a huff of indignation.

"And yet you're fretting like a maiden who's not had her first kiss?" Timaeus countered lips pulled into a devilish smirk. Yugi recognized it at once—the same smirk he'd favored on The Eye. A special gesture reserved solely for taming Yugi.

Burying his face in the man's chest, he mumbled "You would, too, if you were about to lose your virginity."

A silent pause followed.

"You're nervous," Timaeus said, rubbing soothing circles along his back. It wasn't a question.

Yugi nodded, hiding.

Timaeus lifted his face and kissed Yugi's forehead. "How is it you flirt like a courtesan, yet you're still so innocent?"

Eased by the gentle teasing, Yugi couldn't help but smile. "It's strange… I've never been bothered by this before. I've always known what it was and even thought of it many times but now that I actually am... I can't explain it."

Timaeus kissed him, a soft one of gentle reassurance, and all Yugi's uncertainties washed away like water would on his sandy skin. "Everyone is nervous their first time, even when they are lost in their passion and with someone your spirit trusts and your heart desires. Anyone who says otherwise is only protecting their pride."

"Were you?" Yugi asked.

"Oh, I was terrified," Timaeus chuckled, completely unabashed. "I kept thinking I'd muck it up."

"Did you love her?" Yugi asked suddenly.

Timaeus frowned and looked away. "No. I liked her well enough that I thought I did, but I did not."

"Do you regret that?"

He paused for a moment, looking deep in Yugi's eyes and stroking feathery fingers through his hair. "Every day," he admitted, overcome by the need to hold this sweet lad and never let him go. It made all his other liaisons feel like nothing more than simple imitations. He smiled then kissed his little one's cheek and pulled away, grinning. "It matters not. It was long ago and besides, I have you now. What reason do I have to think of the past?" He kissed Yugi's cheeks, his nose, his throat, and continued to pepper his skin with fluttering kisses and playful nips. Yugi giggled loudly at the ticklish treatment.

"But why so curious about my conquests all of a sudden?" Timaeus teased, pulling him closer. "You wouldn't happen to be jealous now, would you?"

Yugi shoved him off playfully, but those strong arms held his tiny waist tight. "Not in the least. I'd be more surprised if you hadn't any, being as old as you are."

Timaeus snorted like an annoyed dragon. "I'm hardly old, little one. I'm younger than any of your brothers."

"Perhaps," Yugi teased with a coquettish glint in his eyes. "You're still far older than me."

"Aye, I am," Timaeus groaned. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised then that you don't find me attractive?"

Yugi snorted. "I never said you weren't attractive."

Timaeus smirked. "I believe you said you'd rather seduce a toad?"

Yugi blushed. "Yes, but not because I thought you weren't attractive. Just unpleasant."

"Ah, and do you still find me unpleasant?" It was both teasing, as well as a serious question.

Yugi knew the answer immediately, but he was enjoying their game and didn't want to surrender just yet. With a mocking grin, he pretended to ponder and stifled a laugh when Timaeus' blank eye twitched with annoyance. "Maybe a little…"

Eyes alight with the challenge; Timaeus spun him around and fixed Yugi with a devilish smirk. "Well, then, I'll have to change that."

Their eyes met, bright and excited, neither willing to break. Then Yugi snorted and Timaeus chuckled. They laughed like children—open, honest, and playful. Timaeus kissed his cheek lovingly. "You were magnificent back there," Timaeus whispered, his voice dropping to its lowest register, thrilling Yugi's entire body.

His eyes were beautiful, twin pools of sparkling blue like glistening summer ponds, half-lidded with demure and desire, and darkened by shadows. They looked into his and found nothing but love and a silent whisper. Trust me.

A hand cupping his cheek, Yugi moved closer, his own hands rising to touch his face. "I love you," he breathed.

Timaeus' hand froze. His entire being shook as if struck, but Yugi's soft hands kept him corporal and his angelic voice was like a tether guiding his spirit back to his body. "What?" The word was a breath, too, barely above a whisper.

"I love you," Yugi repeated, softer this time, and there was no hiding the pale pink color darkening his face. "I really do."

It was his undoing. Timaeus lifted him up and kissed him. Yugi's skin caught fire. Warmth flooded his veins and he was lost. He sank into the man's arms, and allowed himself to be carried, too lost in the kiss and the soft, possessive way Timaeus was holding him.

Vaguely, he registered the room around him, the bright night sky through the massive windows, the warmth of the air and the way the veils around the bed danced in the slight breeze, like beckoning spirits promising protection and pleasure. The massive bed was covered in silks and furs and carved in a circular shape like the roots and trunk of a massive tree. His bravado shattered and his heart started to pound. He buried his cheek in Timaeus' chest and fought down a blush.

With the gentleness of a small child, Timaeus set him down. The silks and furs welcomed his weight, but Yugi was reluctant to let go. Pressing deeper into the crook of Timaeus' neck, he inhaled the warmth and sharpness that was Timaeus' scent—the smell of fresh wood and sea salt and pomegranates, and oh, how he loved that smell.

Hands suddenly seized his arms and Yugi gasped. Timaeus pulled him away and pressed him down into the oblivion of the mattress. Yugi looked into his burning eyes. There was a kind of beast there, hungry and savage and wanting nothing more than to break free, but Timaeus kept its caged locked. Yugi gulped, never more frightened—or aroused—in his life.

"I told you once, Yugi," Timaeus whispered, but there was a flicker of doubt when he saw Yugi's eyes that made him uncertain. "It's… difficult for me to hold back around you…" It was the only way he could explain it.

Not that we have ever gone very far… Timaeus closed his eyes with a dark chuckle. Memories flashed behind his eyes: the heated kisses, the fierce caresses, and the night they laid themselves bare before the other, body and soul. They had never gone further, and he never questioned if it would. He chuckled again.

He opened his eyes and smiled down at his sweet lover—all bemused eyes and flushed cheeks. "I do want us both to accept what is between us, but I will stop if you're uncertain."

The words were a caress across his skin and more than a promise. Yugi recognized their warning, recognized the restraint in Timaeus' hands and the way he hesitated. The way he waited.

He met Timaeus' eyes and saw the understanding there—the compassion, the hunger, the desire, the affection. It was almost too much. Yugi shuddered and his desire had become a living thing. He wanted Timaeus—needed him, and his need had become a physical thing like breathing or dancing. He tried to speak but words failed him, so he shook his head wildly instead.

Timaeus' expression dropped and he released his arms. Yugi blinked, bemused.

"Very well," Timaeus said, pulling away—his eyes sad. "I will stop."

Terror and realization, sharp and explosive, shot through Yugi like an arrow through his heart and he shrieked "No!" Quickly, he wrapped his arms around Timaeus' neck and kissed him in gentle reassurance.

With a bemused expression, Timaeus lifted his hands, hesitant to touch him, and Yugi recognized it at once. Growling in frustration, Yugi pulled away and met his face. Eyes blazing with determination and truth, he said. "I didn't mean I wanted you to stop. I meant I did not want you to stop." He clarified, determined to not let another misunderstanding set them back.

Timaeus' eyes bulged wide with delight and desire, but the hesitance was still there. "Are you sure?" he choked, struggling to breathe. "I won't be able to stop if you—"

"Don't you dare!" Yugi cut him off sharply. Timaeus blinked at the aggressiveness, but couldn't help but adore their ferocity in his little one's scowl.

"I know what you are thinking," Yugi said defiantly. He paused, thinking of some way to convince him. His body was screaming to be touched by Timaeus and trembling with a heat so fierce, he thought he might burst from it. "I want you to touch me!"

The words echoed in the silence that fell heavy between them. Yugi looked away, shamefaced. "I—That—" His tongue suddenly twisted. "That came out wrong."."

To his surprise, Timaeus laughed and kissed him hard. Temporarily stupefied, Yugi surrendered and allowed himself to be kissed. Their lips parted for an instant then they kissed again. Timaeus wasted no time in unlacing his garment and slipping the silks down his shoulders. When the kiss pulled away, Yugi's pleasure fogged mind cleared just long enough to feel the smooth silks and cool chains slipping off his skin. He watched as the slippery materials slid down his arms like streams of silvery water and pooled about his waist. His own eager fingers moved to Timaeus' waist, pulling at the silver belt and undoing the locks.

Timaeus assisted by unclasping his cloak and throwing it to the side. Yugi's hands found the hem of his jerkin and shoved it up his chest. His hungry fingers smoothed over rivulets and valleys of smooth, firm muscles. Timaeus stopped him to remove the tunic completely, leaving his chest and torso bare for his lover to see. Gentle fingers feathered over the tapestry of scars. Yugi traced each one then kissed them like weaving a spell to enchant them away. Timaeus groaned appreciatively and wrapped an arm around Yugi's waist. The boy's kisses and touches went higher, feathering his chest and collar with gentle, possessive marks.

He lifted Yugi up and pulled the rest of the gown away. Realizing he was naked but for his small clothes, Yugi froze and blushed. Timaeus chuckled and laid him back against the pillows when something gold and glittery caught his eyes. He recognized it immediately.

"Yugi?" he asked, partly stunned. "Is that…?"

Yugi blushed charmingly and gave a bashful smile. "I know the custom is for brides to only wear silver, but I… well…" His fingers traced the lacy details lovingly, his blush deepening. "It is your shabka gift and it made me happy. I wanted to wear it."

For a long moment, Timaeus just stared—then his eyes brightened with such elation that he swept Yugi up and kissed him tenderly. "You have no idea how happy that makes me," he whispered hotly in Yugi's ear.

"Which reminds me…" He pulled away for a moment and snatched something off the side table. Yugi saw it was a small box. Timaeus pulled it open and Yugi gasped at the gift inside.

"My final wedding gift," he explained, removing the lovely object from its case. The shiny silver caught the light, making it glitter as he undid the locks and snapped it around Yugi's opposite wrist. He stared at it in amazement: the shiny silver bracelet was done in an intricate silver lacework encircling small emeralds, and from each one dangled a different charm.

"I told the silversmiths I didn't want traditional charms," he explained, holding Yugi's wrists and identifying each one. "You said it yourself. Gifts should have meanings. I wanted each one to have a reason." He pointed out a silver lion. "For the House of Sekhmet."

"Where we met…" Yugi all but choked on the realization.

"A ship." Timaeus pointed next.

"For The Eye…" Yugi parroted. "And perhaps our first kiss."

Timaeus blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "This one was a little tricky. I described it from memory."

"A lotus," Yugi recognized. "For our first true kiss..."

Timaeus nodded then blushed. "And the secret you trusted me with." He hesitated, showing a stylized silver eye. "This one… It was the symbol on the temple and… though I know it was not a pleasant experience for you, it was still…"

"Our wedding day," Yugi cut him off, unable to look away.

"This one was a challenge." He traced the outline of a lightning boat. "For the storm. The night we reconciled." He paused. "And the night I saw you dancing." His hands trembled and his licked his lips, swallowing. "I will never forget that night."

Yugi reddened.

"And this last one," he pointed to a lovely bursting flower that reminded Yugi of a lotus, but with five heart-shaped petals. Timaeus grinned and whispered seductively. "Is a pomegranate bloom… for tonight."

Yugi could stand it no more. He grabbed the man's face and kissed him hard. Timaeus returned it with just as much fervor.

"Thank you," Yugi breathed, hot tears glittering on his eyes but his heart was busting. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He hugged the man tight and Timaeus returned it. He stroked Yugi's soft hair, adoring the silky strands running through his fingers. Yugi hummed in response, his every sound driving him mad with desire. He kissed him again, wove a hand around Yugi's wrists, and gently pinned him to the bed. The kisses left his lips and moved to his collar and neck. Timaeus' reward was the most delectable string of pleasurable sounds.

Yugi's skin caught fire from every kiss and he squirmed against the man above him. Timaeus released his hands but Yugi kept them there—his wrists pinioned by the two bracelets, like manacles, carrying the weight of marriage and all its promises.

"Tim…" Yugi moaned when one kiss dipped low and found his navel. Timaeus smirked and licked inside. The cool wetness was torture against Yugi's hot skin and he squirmed, trying to arch his hips, but strong hands kept them pinned.

"T-Tim…" Yugi squeaked loudly, his flesh afire and his body screaming. "Timaeus!"

Then it stopped and the warmth left his skin. Yugi whimpered, suddenly cold and empty. Timaeus hovered above him, a grin on his face and his eyes blazing with hunger. "You know, I think I like that." He pressed his weight flush against Yugi's and the other gasps from the contact—silken skin and granite muscles against soft, subtle flesh.

"The way you shorten my name when you are aroused," he whispered lewdly.

Yugi felt warmth in his cheeks and covered his face. Timaeus took his hands and gently pulled them away.

Yugi frowned, but Timaeus just smiled. "Do you know why I chose these rooms?" he asked, sitting up to kick off his boots. Yugi sat up, as well, and shook his head. Timaeus undid his belt and grinned. "Because they are the warmest in my castle." The belt dropped to the ground. "The palazzo was not built here by accident. Beneath its floors are hot springs born from these mountains." He undid Yugi's sandals, his choker, his small clothes—hot fingers burning silken trails over his flesh. Yugi blushed again and closed his eyes.

Timaeus stopped and whispered reassuringly, "Open your eyes."

Yugi did and saw he was naked under his heated gaze. Timaeus made no move to touch him and instead focused on removing his leggings. Yugi's heart palpitated in anticipation. His mouth watered and his fingers trembled, eager to touch.

"The aqueducts flush hot water through the pipes, and the pipes run heat through the walls like blood through our bodies. It makes this the warmest room in the house." He slips the leggings off his hips then finally, his small clothes. He rose and there he was, revealed in all his naked splendor: no armor, no titles, no jewels, no shields. Just Timaeus.

"I'd hoped the heat would remind you of home."

Stunned mystification caused Yugi's eyes to remain wide-eyed. Rich olive skin rippled over corded muscles—powerful arms, strong legs, and a well-built body. A tapestry of scars spoke of a dark and painful history, but also of courage and triumph, and his eyes blazed with want—one with a bestial hunger, the other a tempting voice beckoning him to surrender.

Yugi never wanted anything more.

But something made him hesitate. His hand trembled and hot tears came to his eyes, though he was unsure why and didn't know how to stop them. Timaeus lifted him gently into his arms and laid them both against the silks and furs. His warmth returned and suddenly, all of Yugi's doubts vanished. He held the man tight, content to just lie there in peaceful bliss.

Timaeus smiled lovingly and cupped his cheek. "Don't think that I don't understand what's you've given up for me." Yugi stared, surprised, but Timaeus only smiled and kissed the side of his neck. "Your home, your family… Even your own country." As he spoke, a familiar feeling of homesickness returned and at last, Yugi understood. Part of him wanted to cry, to mourn, but the other was alive and ready to move on. Confused and unsure of what else to do, he pressed his forehead against Timaeus' chest and let those strong arms envelop him.

"I promise," Timaeus whispered, and his words were more than an oath, "to do everything I can to make up for those sacrifices."

They wasted no time. Embracing Yugi close, Timaeus kissed him hard, holding nothing back. Yugi parted his lips and chased his tongue. A calloused hand rough from years with a sword brushed feathery streaks along Yugi's bare spine. The other slid over the junction between his thighs, then fingers spread over the curve of his hip and grasped his bottom.

"Open for me," came the soft command. His jade and pearl eyes blazed with the need and want Yugi awoke in him like some mad beast, hungry for more than blood.

Yugi visibly shivered, eyes glazing over with lust and love. He needed him—desperately. Needed to feel whole and warm and wanted, like his very soul would die without it. He obeyed and spread quivering thighs. Timaeus sat between them and curled over his lover. With a quick kiss, he lifted the underside of Yugi's knees, the flesh quaking in his hands.

Evidence of his arousal hung thick and heavy between them and Yugi blushed, embarrassed, but unable to look away. Feeling it thick and pulsating and pressed against him with burning heat, Yugi's body flooded with desire and perhaps a little dread. He almost couldn't wait to get it inside of him.

"T-Timaeus…" he choked out the name, barely above a whisper. Nervous fingers clenched the silks.

Then the fingers came—slick, cool, and heavily oiled.

"Tim—!"

A soft hand stroked his cheek lovingly, the same time a slick finger teased his entrance. He swallowed Yugi's muffled moan when his finger entered him. Yugi's breath hitched, unaccustomed to the foreign sensation, but it quickly turned to mewls of delight. A second finger was added, then a third. Yugi gasped, discomfort evident clearly on his face. It wasn't a painful sensation, but the feel of those strong digits inside him and stretching him wide felt strange and uncomfortable. He squirmed but Timaeus pinned his hip and kissed him still. Yugi grabbed Timaeus' arms and squeezed tight, almost painfully. Suddenly, a spike of desire flooded his senses and the pain gave way to swift, burning pleasure.

Hearing Yugi gasp sharply, Timaeus grinned victoriously. He pushed in his fingers again and Yugi squealed, delighted. The look of sheer bliss on Yugi's face as he writhed and squirmed drove him mad with desire. Only he would ever see Yugi like this. Only he would bring Yugi this kind of pleasure. Pride swelled in his chest. "Tell me how it feels?" he prompted—his voice low, rough, and wanting.

He buried those fingers deeper:-massaging, burning, stretching, feeling, wanting, thrusting—and Yugi could feel it all. Felt them claw deeper, stretch him wider, and then—

"A-AH—!" Yugi all but shrieked. His back arched against Timaeus' chest, pressing hot silken skin against smooth, granite muscle. "Oh, Gods…!"

Timaeus smirked, and he knew he'd found the one spot Yugi could never deny him. "Did I find it?"

Yugi's pleasure-glazed eyes glared. But he yelped when Timaeus curled his fingers. "Oh Ra—A-Ah—Mut—Ahh—Holy… B-Bastet… Ah!" Ecstasy spiked through Yugi's core, robbing him of all voice and coherent through.

Timaeus smirked, feeling immensely proud. "I must have if you've slipped into your native tongue." He teased and kissed his little one's cheek, red and hot and sweaty with bliss. "How does that feel, love?" He arched his fingers and thrust at a new angle.

The moan of pleasure was the only answer Yugi could muster.

"Tell me," Timaeus softly commanded, fingers twisting. Yugi nearly collapsed, his eyes rolling and his voice abandoning him.

"Tell me?" Timaeus sang melodically, sounding far too happy.

Yugi barely recognized the words. "G… G-Good…" he mumbled a broken, plausible sound—the only one his fogged mind could remember coherently. "So… good…"

Timaeus grinned. "I am pleased."

What could've been a moment or a lifetime later, Timaeus slipped his fingers free.

Yugi whined vocally, body aching as it enclosed around emptiness. So empty it hurt. His body was screaming to be touched, all quivering limbs and quaking thighs

His wish was granted.

Gathering Yugi into his arms, Timaeus captured him in a kiss that set his skin afire—and then he sank into his body. Breath froze in Yugi's throat. His body protested weakly as it yielded and stretched. It took all his will not to scream. Then his body constricted and he felt it—the blunt pressure of Timaeus filling him and spreading him wide. It was too much, all these contradicting sensations. The overwhelming pain of being stretched crashed against the unbearable pleasure of being filled. He felt exposed and vulnerable and wholly uncertain. Was this sex? How was he supposed to feel pleasure from this?

Trembling hands reached for Timaeus' shoulders, clenching fiercely. He panted, trying desperately to endure. He rested his forehead against Timaeus' chest. The closeness magnified his scent—sea salt, fresh cool water, and pomegranates. Always pomegranates.

Pleading, desperate eyes prickled with confused tears. "It hurts," came a low pained hiss. Legs quivering with uncertainty, Yugi looked away, embarrassed by how weak he sounded.

Timaeus lifted his face, brushed a kiss over his forehead, and slid one arm underneath the small of his back. "I know, but fear not, my sweet—the pain you feel now will not last long. And after tonight, you will never feel it again," he promised, soft as a kiss.

Yugi relaxed, feeling comforted. For a long, heavy moment they lied there, unmoving. The tendons in Timaeus' shoulder were so tight, Yugi felt them through his skin and massaged them gently. Timaeus shuddered with a starving groan. Yugi looked up and shuddered. Timaeus gazed down at him both eyes blazing. There was a kind of beast there, but he kept it locked away even as it beat savagely at its bars. Experimentally, Yugi tried rolling his hips. Timaeus squeezed his eyes shut and pinned him down by his wrists, his hips bucking heavily against Yugi's, pushing deeper and making Yugi yelp with a shuddering moan.

Timaeus held him still. Yugi's softness gripped him so tightly the scorching heat was almost painful. Beneath him, Yugi panted rapidly, his body yielding and clenching in soft, burning caresses—slight and quick and enticing him to move. The beast inside him was alive and ravenous but he dared not release it, no matter how fierce its hunger savaged through his blood, demanding he take his pleasure and ravish his consort like a dragon claimed his mate. All he had to do was move: thrust. Take. Claim. Own.

Yugi whimpered and gradually, he came back to his senses. Even the tiniest wanton sounds and his entire body tightened with arousal. With a nervous smile, Yugi willed himself to relax. Timaeus made no effort to untangle himself from Yugi's body. Instead, he ran a ghostly hand down his side, gently cupped the flesh of Yugi's bottom and kneaded it. Yugi's whimpers turned to moans and he spread his thighs wider. Timaeus settled between them and arched slightly. Again, Yugi moaned, hips squirming, wanting more.

With a delighted smirk and warm eyes, Timaeus drew back his hips and thrust forward. Yugi gasped in breathless surprise. The action sent him sprawling. He grinned, gathered up the lithe boy, and started a slow sensual pace. He moved like he fought—gracefully and with flawless precision. He was gentle at first, thrusting slow in rolling and rhythmic patterns before building rapidly—graduating into long, deep, sensual strokes that had Yugi writhing.

Yugi trembled as Timaeus moved against him, caressing his insides with all the gentleness of a tender lover, but it wasn't enough. The restraint was evident in Timaeus' eyes, his resolve cracking the deeper he was sheathed in Yugi's tight, scorching heat.

It did not go unnoticed. Yugi felt Timaeus shudder inside him. Desperately, he hiked his thighs against Timaeus' granite hips and arched upward. Timaeus seized them at once and held him secure. Opening his eyes, he stared up at Timaeus, dazed and pleading, and saw the beast there—clawing, growling, demanding to be free, and the mask of the Man trying to contain it. Never in all his life had Yugi felt such desire.

"Please." The command was weak, but the mask of reserve cracked.

Timaeus stared—then his lips quirked. "… Are you sure?"

To his surprise, Yugi smirked. Violet eyes, darkened by desire, flashed with an impish grin he knew all too well. Yugi's answer was a short, simple kiss. "Make love to me, Timaeus. Make me yours," he whispered then added with a harsh, barely-audible promise like the hymn of a sacred prayer. "Only yours."

The cage inside Timaeus broke and the beast raged. "As you wish."

He shuddered with delight when Timaeus snatched his hands and pinned them in place. Yugi protested the rough treatment with a yelp, even as he shuddered in anticipation and awakened excitement. He caught Timaeus' gaze, his ravenous smirk—beaming pride and delirious hunger. A curl of lust was blazing in his eyes—a beast that chilled Yugi's bones and set fire to his blood. His body was singing, screaming for this man's touch, not pleading but demanding to feel the rush of skin against skin. With a muttered oath, Timaeus sank into Yugi's body with a single, powerful thrust.

Yugi shrieked with pleasure and lifted his hips to meet Timaeus' pace. In counter, Timaeus thrust faster, took him harder until their bodies shifted and the wood creaked. His reward was the most delicious collection of mewls and syllables, and the sensual, sultry way that soft, sweet body molded perfectly against his. So soft, and sweet, and oh so tight.

Watching Yugi writhe beneath him, hearing him shriek in absolute pleasure, feeling that scorching heat constricting him… Timaeus devoured it all. Yugi cried out and snapped his hips sharply. White, hit euphoria exploded behind his eyes and his whole body shuddered with delight. Grinning maniacally in victory, Timaeus pinioned Yugi's biceps, and rutted furiously into the boy beneath him, alternating his angles until Yugi was a writhing, whimpering, wanting, wailing mess beneath his rough loving.

With no intention of stopping, Yugi reached for his husband, tightened his thighs and arched his hips, thrusting slightly. Timaeus broke the kiss to groan and growl. Yugi mewled in delight, and arched his hips again. His walls clenched Timaeus tightly—scorching heat and thick, pulsing flesh. He felt it growing harder inside him. He shuddered at the sensation, moaned, and he rolled his hips, determined to recapture it. Each thrust rung a cry of pleasure from him but it wasn't enough—not when Timaeus was still holding back.

"Please…" It was a demand, not a plea, and spiked with breathless fervor. "Gods, please!"

With it, the beast fully ravaged. Timaeus let it consume him and with a growl of ruthless abandon, Timaeus slid his arms under Yugi's knees, hiked them up and arched at a new angle.

Ecstasy spiked Yugi's core. His knees buckled and hips rolled, independent of his will—frantic and wild and unable to match Timaeus relentless love-making.

"Don't stop," Yugi whispered as Timaeus pinned him down and slid inside him—kissing him between hard thrusts and guttural moans. "Oh please don't stop—"

Timaeus thrust again and again, slamming pleasure into him, over and over until Yugi gave himself up to it. White-hot bliss exploded behind Yugi's eyes, overwhelming him and he allowed it. Allowed the warmth to envelope him and the wild beast his husband became in his arms to swallow him.

Husband. It was the first time Yugi had truly said it. Accepted it. Embraced it. Yes, this man was his husband. Only he would ever get to see him like his, experience this. Only him—and no one else. That fact drove him mad with pleasure. He looked into Timaeus' eyes—dazed and drunken green and pearl met his own lust-fogged violet.

Yugi's hands found his face and pulled him into a hard kiss.

He writhed in Timaeus' arms, his back slammed against the mattress, and the bed creaked. Sweat glistened over his skin and his mouth opened in a voiceless scream. He voiced his pleasure in rhythmic gasps and moans he couldn't stop. Each thrust left him drunk and delirious and Timaeus drank it all like a thirsty demon.

Timaeus groaned with the effort, but need drove him—the need to take this boy harder and deeper, the need to spill his seed and claim him as his own, the need to watch him come undone and fall into bliss in his arms. He growled and with domineering strength, he gripped Yugi's hips, leaving fingerprints where only he would see them and warned him with a powerful thrust. Wild emerald-and-pearl eyes darkened with lust, gazing into penetrating violet. He gazed down at his young lover and saw the happiness there, eyes blazing with delight and desire. Timaeus' hands slithered to his wrists. Their fingers wove together and stayed like that for the rest of the night. His bracelets clicked with each thrust and Timaeus beamed with pride. He loved the way those gold and silver bracelets shimmered against Yugi's skin like shiny brands, reminding all that Yugi was his.

They made love wildly. Timaeus thrust deep and Yugi's vision went dark then burst white and for a second, his world was noonday bright. Swift, debilitating pleasure rushed from inside him and he gasped in meek desperation. "No—" He shook his head, too weak to scream. Not yet, oh please not yet—

Timaeus understood, and with a burst of speed and strength and invigorating gentleness, he stroked Yugi's pride free and drove into him harder. Yugi cried out his name.

"Tim—" It was lost on his lips. Yugi choked on a breath, the pressure building too quickly and gave way to white hot bliss.

"Timaeus!"

His vision went white. Ecstasy rolled off him in waves. His release came quickly with a cry of completion. Timaeus responded and caught him around the waist as he collapsed, boneless and spent. Through the haze of completion, Yugi saw the gleam of possessiveness in Timaeus' eyes and he kissed him tenderly. Yugi moaned loudly, his insides still tight and his body so very sensitive. Touches and kisses electrified his skin like dozens of tiny sparks. He coveted it like a drowning man.

Timaeus responded by wrapping his arms around his little one and kissing him with fiery abandon. Strong arms held him still as firm hips rutted into his over-sensitized body once more. He slowed his pace but did not stop. His thrusts gentled down. His own release arrived too quickly for his liking, and he threw his head back with a roar of satisfaction. His reward was Yugi's softest, sweetest moan yet.

And when he reached the moment of his pleasure, he said Yugi's name in a cry of completion. The warm, liquid pleasure filling his insides was something Yugi could only described as fullness. He shuddered, moaning. Cool, damp pleasure flooded his insides with a rush like a flood released in the desert. His fingers trembled and slipped from Timaeus' fingers, but Timaeus caught them, still inside him—still filling him with the evidence of his love.

Then his wobbly arms failed him and Timaeus plopped on his lithe little lover. Limbs weak and bodies spent, they lied there, panting—eyes locked and clouded with bliss. They rolled over, Timaeus on his back and Yugi sprawled across his chest, his damp hair falling about his shoulders. He lied like that, pressing his cheek to the chiseled chest he loved so much. It vibrated when Timaeus tiredly chuckled. A hand rose to stroke Yugi's back—the other to play with his hair.

"Not bad for your first time," he teased, but Yugi was too drunk on his euphoria to retort. Instead, he giggled and snuggled deeper into the rich, bronzed chest and once more started tracing the scars with a feathery finger. Timaeus hummed contently and Yugi sighed in bliss.

"Passion, freedom, excitement… All within hours of our wedding revel," Yugi said dazedly. For the first time in years, he felt weightless… calm… happy.

"Have I kept my promise, then?" Timaeus quirked a brow, asking.

Yugi laughed mirthfully. "You have." He kissed his cheek. "And more. I thought my heart was going to burst."

"Mine as well," Timaeus agreed, petting the soft hair and stroking Yugi's spine. His skin was warm like sand baked by the Kemet sun. He smelt of sand and salt water and lotus and pomegranates—something that was richly, uniquely Yugi.

He was reluctant to leave it. Against his own will, Timaeus shifted, bracing on his arms and retracted his hips slowly. He stopped when Yugi yelped.

With a small grunt of discomfort and a pout of displeasure, Yugi plopped on his chest, asking quietly, "Is it over now?"

"I'm afraid it has to be," Timaeus whispered sadly, and gripped Yugi's hips to move him again but Yugi clenched his hands tightly.

"No!" He disagreed immediately. Though his thighs ached and he already felt the sharp pain riding up his spine, just the thought of this ending filled him with more anguish than a thousand nights in pain ever could. "Please, not now! Not yet…" His lips quivered achingly. Not when I've only just tasted this.

Caught in the pleading gaze like a small bird transfixed by a snake, Timaeus almost conceded to the tiny pouting lip and the desperate dying hope in those beautifully-wet eyes. It would be so easy to concede, to surrender and give his little one what he wanted. Already, those soft thighs were cushioning his hips. Already, warm wet heat clenched his pride and urged the beast, tempting him to surrender and take his pleasure as fiercely and as many times as he wanted. From the mischievous glint behind his tears, that was exactly what the little sprite wanted.

Timaeus frowned and shook his head. He knew very well his minx's tricks. "That will not work on me, you clever little imp."

The sad pleasing look dropped to an annoyed pout. Yugi plopped against him and crossed his arms defiantly. Timaeus swallowed a laugh and sat up just enough to meet Yugi's disgruntled face. "Do not give me that look," he gently warned. He seized Yugi's hips and lifted him off him. His member slid wetly from the other's tight heat—though not without reluctance. Yugi whimpered visibly and slumped boneless into Timaeus' lap. "You are already going to be sore tomorrow because it was your maidenhead I severed."

Dissatisfied with the answer, Yugi evaded his hands and stayed atop him. "I'm not fragile. I can stand it." He rolled his hips to illustrate his point. Pain hissed up his spine but he ignored it. A long, marvelous night awaited him and he would not be denied it because his body was incompliant.

Timaeus growled warningly, but Yugi heard the desire in there. "I will not cause you any more pain than I must," he insisted, frowning.

His frustration building, Yugi snapped. "Fine! If you won't, I will do it myself." With no other thought in his head, he kissed Timaeus' jaw and down his throat and pressed their bodies together—a collision of hot silken skin and smooth muscle. Evidence of their desire hung flush between them and Timaeus felt Yugi press against his stomach.

He growled, but Yugi ignored it and supported his shoulders. He lifted his hips until he felt that same hardness teasing his entrance and lowered himself. He missed and tried again. He missed again and his cheeks burned. His own inexperience came shuttering and in mortified frustration, he tried for a third time, only for Timaeus to grab his hips and hold him still. Yugi meant to growl in protest then shivered at the sight of eyes—of those hot, blazing emerald and pearl eyes and the beast restrained behind a glass cage. One he caught in glimpses and only when his lover was in the throngs of desire. Yugi relished his gaze. Using the steadiness to his advantage, he grabbed Timaeus' already-thickening hardness and positioned himself.

Those tan hands squeezed his thighs and Yugi pushed down, gasping as his body swallowed Timaeus' member. His gasp became a strangled moan as he was finally seated. The new position was filling him more completely than he ever thought possible and brushed the place that made his whole body shudder. His eyes never left Timaeus'. The beast was wild and savage in those eyes and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to release it. To watch Timaeus come undone.

The man growled and squeezed his hips with bruising strength. "Stop," his commanded with a restrained hiss. "I won't… You're going to be sore," he tried to explain but words stumbled from his lips in half-drunken syllables. "I won't have… you hurt yourself for my sake."

Yugi stopped at once, and pinned him with his hands and eyes.

"I'm your consort! Do you know what that means?" Yugi demanded. There was no anger in his voice, only blunt brutal honesty and—in the briefest flicker of his eyes—hope. "It means that you are mine and I am yours. I will never come to harm in your presence because I know you will never hurt me. And I don't ever want you to be afraid to be yourself around me because you think it will somehow wound me." He stopped his ministrations at once and hugged the man tight. All his emotions were pouring out into his words and Timaeus was too stunned to do anything else but listen. "When we're alone like this, just you and me, I don't want you to restrain yourself. Do not hold yourself back. I'm not some fragile doll you need to shelter and protect. I'm your consort. If you cannot trust yourself with me then who will you trust?"

Timaeus stared at him, stunned. Silence followed the bold decoration and his mind scrambled with thoughts. Yugi smiled lovingly at him and kissed his cheek. Timaeus frowned sadly and cupped his cheek. "I could hurt you."

"No, you won't," Yugi insisted. "I'll show you." He rolled his hips, grinding their hips together, and lifted himself slowly. The drag of that thick, pulsing flesh hardening inside him drove Yugi wild. He lifted his hips and sank down slowly, building a slow, sensual pace. His gaze locked with Timaeus'. The man watched him with ardent eyes, half-lidded and wild, as Yugi rode him gently. There was no urgency in the union and Yugi enjoyed the control. His eyes never left his husband's—vacant of apprehension and guilt, but still holding on to the slightest sliver of restraint.

"Don't hold back," Yugi commanded, more breath than substance. He rolled his hips as he descended. He felt Timaeus buck beneath him and he smirked. He did it again, faster, and found the same result. He quickened his pace, rising and falling on his husband's glorious clock until it thickened and stretched. The coil of pleasure wound so tight he thought it would burst. "I'm yours," he moaned again. "Just…" Without slowing, he placed his hands on Timaeus', still gripping his thighs, and whispered the phrase like it was an ancient prayer. "Let go."

With a muttered oath, Timaeus seized his arms, pulling out as he did so, and forced his entire arousal inside Yugi.

The boy screamed.

"Stubborn little imp," Timaeus cursed, the beast wild and untamable in his eyes. "I warned you."

Yugi pushed himself up shakily and met his eyes, smirking. "Do I look like I mind?"

"Stubborn," Timaeus cursed, still throbbing. He drove into Yugi without rhythm—hard, undiluted thrusts that had Yugi screaming. "What have you done to me?"

Lost in the combined euphoria of pain and pleasure, Yugi barely heard the words and gave himself up to the rough, relentless pace. "I could… ask you… ah! ... t-the same thing… I was never like this… until I m-met you…" He shakily chuckled, feeling cocky. "Have I… u-unlocked… the beast?"

The confidence in those eyes made Timaeus burn with pride and shrivel with absolute fury. Oh yes—only Yugi could unlock this side of him; see the mask and had the sheer audacity to pull it off, consequences be damned. And that made Yugi feel more powerful than any God.

But Timaeus was not one to let the game end so quickly. He pinned Yugi's wrists to the bed, locked their gazes, and thrust inside him so quick and with such force that tears pricked Yugi's eyes and he screeched in delirious and absolute delight.

"Oh no, my feisty… fiery… haughty little beauty…" he sang with grunts, puncturing each compliment with another vicious thrust. "I… am no beast."

"W-What—?" Yugi asked, barely registering the words through the haze of pleasure.

Timaeus thrust again—harder, more demanding and impatient than the others. "I'm something far more dangerous… and powerful… than a simple, mindless beast." He stopped suddenly and Yugi whimpered loudly, body shaking with anticipation and dissatisfaction. The coils in his belly were twisting and curling and tightening to be released.

Timaeus lifted him onto his lap, holding him just high enough to look down into his smirking eyes. "I'm a dragon."

He thrust up and Yugi broke. The coil snapped and with his loudest scream yet, he climaxed hard—the force so strong it rendered him immobile, and he slumped boneless into Timaeus' arms. The man twisted their bodies again until Yugi was once more beneath him and sexed him to his own completion.

His body still over-sensitized and over-stimulated, Yugi whimpered and clenched down on the organ still invading him and that was all it took. Timaeus roared into his climax, very much like the ancient, angry dragon he proclaimed to be. Yugi absorbed every drop, clenching his thighs tighter to keep Timaeus from moving until his body was milked dry.

They panted terribly, neither looking away. Timaeus wove their fingers together and kissed Yugi's hands. The boy moaned. "Don't stop," he begged, breathless. "Oh, please, Tim, don't stop."

Timaeus' response was a deep chuckle vibrating both their bodies. "Insatiable thing, aren't you?" he playfully scolded.

Reading him well, Yugi arched up his hips. It was weaker than before and not as forceful, but it was enough.

Timaeus groaned, defeated, but not unpleased. "Fine," he snapped, rough with want. "I will take you and make love to you again and again as many times as you can stand it," he promised. In an act of aggression and love, he pinned Yugi flat against the bed and entered him in a single, unrelenting thrust. Their earlier release and oils made the entry quick and clean like a sword in a sheath. Yugi half-screamed, half-moaned, and panted wildly. His body was already warm and wet and waiting for him.

"But…" he hissed warningly, eyes mad and wild with lust. "If I hear a single complaint out of you come morning..." He arched his hips and thrust up hard, illustrating the threat.

Yugi nearly arched off the bed. When he dropped, it was a full minute before his spirit returned to his body. "… Is that a promise?" he whispered, eyes bright with challenge.

Timaeus smirked. "Oh, yes." He kissed him hard and rolled them over, making love wildly and with no rhythm or cohesion but their own.

That night, Yugi thought he'd known all the masks his husband wore, only to learn he'd been gravely mistaken.

Oh, no. They were not masks, but him—all of them—and right now, his husband was the Dragon. Yugi learned that night—in every way the Knight was loyal, the Rogue was charming, the Man was kind, and the Lover was passionate—that the Dragon was unrelenting.

* * *

 

Its finslly done and poated( died to the sound of an angel choir and ascends to heaven) You have no idea how long i have waited to do this one...

I won't bore you with the details but i finished it weeks ago, wrote the first drafts YEARS ago, and edited it so many times to make it perfect...and I feel it truely fits the both of them perfectly...especially Timaeus being a dragon and Yugi a horny little imp who should learn to listen... ;)

But in all seriousness...58 chapters...to get to the lemon...I'm pretty sure thats a new record!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

As always read, review, critique, comment and go nuts!

Next updste in two weeks (possibly sooner if i get the third chap done!)

NEXT TIME: The Redemancy has begun, a bond is building and thr witnesses are celebrating, but not all of them.


	59. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Redemancy has begun, a bond is building and thr witnesses are celebrating, but not all of them.

_Chapter LIX: Dawn_

Down below, the crew of _The Eye of Timaeus_ recognized their Little Prince's sweet voice and the way it rose in pitch when he was pleased. They recognized their Trierarch's booming barks and the way he grunted and groaned. It was a state of sheer frustration and utter abandon that only their little prince could coax out of him. A string of delighted groans, mewling moans and blissful screams echoes in a symphony of rapture.

"Sounds like they're enjoying themselves." Ryou giggled, red-faced and blushing. From drunkenness or bawdiness was uncertain.

"'Bout damn time!" Malik said with a vociferous laugh and took another swig of his drink. He stumbled when he got up and slumped to the floor.

Raphael leaned over to check then hurled him up by his arm. "You alright?"

His answer was a string of slurred syllables. Malik ignored him and reached for the cup, but Tristan was quick to take it away. "I think you've had enough."

Malik hissed but put up no other protest and slumped to the table exhausted.

"Aye," Raphael chuckled. "They certainly waited long enough."

The room downed another round of ales amidst their own cacophony of giggles and rakish sneers. Off in the corner, Mai and the girls were giggling: no doubt exchanging sensual secrets of their own and eager for the stories their Little Prince would soon have to share. At the high table the King was exchanging a conversation with Hamos. Critias, squeezed his goblet so tightly wine was spilling over the edge. In the far corner, the Princess was deep in her own cup, staring at the dark liquid and listening half-heartedly to the girls beside her.

Most of the palazzo staff had celebrated their fill and gone home for the evening, content to leave the mess for the next day's servants. Though judging from the fires still burning beyond the windows, Locri was still in the heat of its own celebration and it was very unlikely anyone would be up tomorrow—especially their Little Prince and Trierarch by the sound of it.

Another cry of completion screeched through the halls. Mai whispered something with a particularly lewd look in her eye, and musicians and dancers erupted with laugher.

The men chuckled. Oh yes, their Little Prince, would _certainly_ not be up tomorrow.

"If this is the result of their patience, perhaps its best they waited." Raphael snickered and took another swig. Malik slumped across the bench, snoring loudly.

"Hmmhmm," Ryou agreed into his mug, his face a jocular smile "Were they this vivacious on _The Eye_ , we'd have never made it home."

"'Cause none of you lot would get any sleep?" Tristan joked, finishing off Malik's ale.

The crew laughed. "Cause we'd never get the Trierarch out of his room!"

A loud slam echoed through the Great Hall. Cristina stood at the table, her hand still clenched furiously around the goblet. With fierce retrain, she undid her writhing fingers, her face a neutral mask.

"It's done." She said, like it was an execution and hurried off to bed.

X X X

"T-Tim-Timaeus," Yugi moaned desiderate hands reaching. "Please hold me."

The Dragon in his eyes cooled and Timaeus smiled. "As you wish."

He reached out his hands and kissed him. He slowed his pace but did not stop. A well-angled roll of his hips and Yugi's scream became a loud moan. His hands found Timaeus' back and held tight. His slender body moved and molded against the man above him: red-faced and writhing as his body succumbed to rapture. The coils in his stomach taunt and tight and ready to snap.

His vision went white. "T-Tim," he expelled in a hot breath, fingers tightened at his husband's back.

"Yugi," Timaeus grunted in a hoarse rasp. "Together."

Timaeus' grip on his shoulders tightened as his force increased. Yugi writhed, lifting his hips. He threw back his head with a screech, nails raking down his lover's back. "Ti-IM!"

Timaeus swallowed his scream with a kiss and a final thrust. That final climax stole the last of his resistance and whatever energy Yugi had vanished in a wave of smoke and pleasure. He slumped, boneless to the bed. The silks and furs welcomed his weight, perfectly outlining his spent body. Timaeus dropped on top of him stealing the air from Yugi's lungs but he didn't mind. "You are mine now, _joon-am, jane-del-am, atashe-del-am. Mine._ From this day until our last day."

Through the haze of anoesis. Yugi could only comprehend a single word. "Yes."

They lay there gasping and winded. Yugi blinked slowly, his vision hazy, his heart pounding and his mind lost. Above him, Timaeus chuckled and kissed Yugi's forehead, looking just as dazed and spent as he.

A single realization formed in Yugi's mind. He'd been wedded and bedded, taken and claimed, and thoroughly marked by the man who loved him.

_We did it…_ Yugi giggled, dreamy-eyes and half-dazed. _Together…Timaeus and me we…_

He gasped and suddenly felt it. The wet heat of his release inside him and he was aware of every drop filling him completely. His aching body twitched, shivered, and scrunched up his face in a grimace.

"Yugi?" Timaeus rolled up, his face a mask of concern. "Are you alright?" he sounded frantic. "Was it too much…did I…" he froze, his face a mask of guilt and shame. "Did I…hurt you?"

Yugi's eyes flew open. "No!" He protested at once and forced himself to sit up. "You didn't hurt it me. I liked it, I really did…it's only." His face suffused with color: a sweet, pink blush to accompany his sweet smile. "Well…" he rubbed his arm, suddenly nervous. "When you…you… _finished_ inside me..i-I liked it but it...felt…odd." His blush darkened and he bowed his head in discomfiture.

After a slow blink, Timaeus deflated with relief and smiled. Placing a soft kiss on Yugi's forehead, he relented and stroked the curve of Yugi's back, coaxing him to relax. A dark chuckle echoed in Yugi's ear and he whispered. "I'm pleased you enjoyed it. How do you feel?"

It was difficult to answer. His loins ached from the urgency of their lovemaking but it was a good kind of ache, mollified by the warmth of Timaeus' heavy body. His hard muscles were like warm granite molded against his flesh. His kisses still burned on Yugi's skin like invisible brands, his touches still tingled like delicate feathers tickling his bruises, and his pride was still warm inside him. Yugi blushed deeper. "I'm…alright."

He grimaced slightly as his lower back sank into the mattress. Already his spine was stinging and his legs and thighs pounded, scolding him relentlessly for his unquenchable desires—like his entire body had caught flame and burned in a storm of fire and only now numbed to smoldering heat. He slumped, boneless in the man's arms and sighed.

Timaeus chuckled, and Yugi could feel the embolden pride burning in those eyes. "Have I burned you out, little spitfire?"

Yugi playfully punched his chest: his lower body protesting the movement. Timaeus chuckled happily and kissed the side of Yugi's forehead. He laid Yugi gently against the sheets and started to retract his hips. He stopped when Yugi yelped.

"No!" Yugi protested and clung to his chest. He pulled his lower lip between his teeth and it quivered achingly. "Please, stay."

Timaeus' heart ached. He smiled, sympathetically, brushed Yugi's bangs from his face and kissed his cheeks. "One day," he explained with such gentle severity and sweet promise that Yugi dare not counter him. "One day, little gem, I will spend every night we share together merged with you, like this." He punctured each promise with another soothing kiss. "But that day is not now. You are too weak right now and you need to recover. Only then will I make love to you next."

Yugi whimpered and shook his head. He clung to Timaeus and the man held him. Slowly, Timaeus lifted himself free and Yugi shuddered with a grunt of pain. He whimpered again when his body enclosed around emptiness but was also grateful for the reprieve. Timaeus laid down next to him and Yugi wiggled in his arms.

"But that does not mean we can't do other things," Timaeus whispered, hot and haughtily, bending to brush Yugi's ear, his cheeks, his lips, the delicate curve of his collar.

Yugi's eyes feathered closed and he sighed happily at the treatment. A wide smile split his face as lips and fingers brushed his skin. An arm encircled his waist and he found himself lying on his stomach, flush against the sculpted chest. Timaeus grinned, his free hand covering him with the silken sheets and many furs. The cool sheets were a welcome euphoria against his hot skin and the furs, a soothing warmth. Yugi giggled and snuggled into the man's chest—warmer than sand baked by the desert sun.

Timaeus kissed him again and whispered. "Rest now, _glykia mou_. The hour is late." His alto was calm and shallow like a lullaby, but deep with leftover desire.

Suddenly exhausted, surrounded by warmth and in the gentle arms of his husband, Yugi curled against Timaeus' side and obeyed.

X X X

Yugi awoke to butterfly kisses teasing his belly and warm hands massaging his thighs.

His first breath was a moan. Floating gently on the surface of reality, the pleasure so content, he thought he was still dreaming. Through the haze of sleep and the bliss of the night before, he found that the butterflies straddled between his thighs were the familiar dark and silver tendrils of Timaeus' hair, and the hands on his thighs were his. The way those strong hands massaged him sent tingles of fire across his skin. Not the intense burning of pure sensation, but the warm smolder of embers lovingly caressing his skin.

"MmmHmm," he hummed, opening his eyes and trying so hard to move, but the warmth was just so comfortable, and Timaeus' kisses were just so gentle. He heard a chuckle and felt it vibrating across his thigh. Another kiss pressed against the junction of his inner thigh, then kisses further up his belly to his naval and suckled there. Yugi moaned loudly and squirmed just so,

He laid there, his wrists pinioned against the pillows by his wedding bracelets: one gold, one silver holding him still like the bonds of matrimony and all his promises and gave himself up to it. Suddenly those hands were on his outer thighs, gently massaging the flesh with feathery, ghost-like textures while his lips continued to kiss. The cool, wet fingers slicked with oils found his hips, his sides, rising higher to his softness, then his pelvis, his bottom, his belly.

With an almost serpentine grace, Timaeus slid up his body and captured his lips in a gentle loving kiss. The shackles of his wrists came undone, and Yugi wrapped his arms around Timaeus' neck and kissed him back. Hands slid just under Yugi's shoulders, holding him close.

"Good morning, my love," Timaeus said when they pulled away, eyes shadowed with lust and love.

"Hmmm, morning" Yugi said, sometime later. "That was a pleasant way to wake up," Yugi chuckled, eyes arched in a sly grin. Slim fingers stroked his husband's face, cupped his cheek and kissed the other. "I thought I was dreaming."

Timaeus grinned, wove their fingers together and kissed his knuckles. "No, little one, that was no dream. I may be unable to take you until you've healed, but there is no rule that I cannot pleasure you." He chuckled. "Though I doubt it is morning. I suspect it's well past high noon."

Yugi giggled at the joke. His old self would've snorted, but, uncaring, Yugi was content to lie there, looking into Timaeus' sweet face. Blushing furiously with realization it became too much for him and he looked away.

Timaeus chuckled and wrapped his arms tight about the boy's waist, pulling him close and littering his cheeks and collar with kisses. Yugi giggled and slid back into the warmth of the bed and his husband's embrace. His muscles and loins ached, but it was a good kind of ache, not the harsh pain he'd been expecting. He looked down at himself. His cool skin shined in the places Timaeus had massaged him and carried a fresh, leafy smell.

Yugi recognized the earthen scent. "Is that Kuzbarah oil?" he asked surprised.

Timaeus chuckled. "A wedding gift. From Rhebekka. Something she picked up from your homeland during our stay and was quite…" he paused to chuckled and scratched his cheek nervously. " _Insistent_ that I used it once you woke up."

Yugi's eyes bulged wide and alert. "She did what?" he squeaked jumping up to sit and immediately regretted it. Pain, sharp and stinging filled his backside and shot up his spine. He hissed and yelped, falling forward, but Timaeus was quick to catch him, eyes bright with worry.

Realization burned Yugi's face bright vermillion, and his eyes bulged with shame. He buried his face in his hands.

Sensing his discomfort, Timaeus pulled him into his arms and gently stroke his sore back. "It's alright," Timaeus said, soothingly finishing around for the jar. He found it and placed a generous amount on his hands, and gently massaged the oils into Yugi's back. A string of sound escaped the small boy: hissed of pain and moans of pleasure, his small fingers gripped his shoulders tightly and his forehead pushed against his collar.

Gently, he pulled Yugi onto his knees and steadied him with a hand. He gulped when his hands clenched his soft bottom, still warm from the night before.

"Yugi," he warned, gently. Words twisted on his tongue as he tried to speak. "I need…to…"

Yugi nodded against his collar: cheeks pink and eyes squeezed shut. Timaeus gulped, and gently spread the bottom flesh. He carefully massaged the entrance with the cool balm but did not go inside. Yugi pressed his mouth to stay silent but tiny squeaks of pleasure escaped. He could feel the dragon awakening and forced it back into its chains. An oiled finger slipped inside him, gently probing. A sigh louder than all others escaped Yugi's lips.

"Did you like that?" Timaeus purred, pleased.

Yugi nodded: his eyes half-dazed. Slowly, Timaeus turned the digit. Yugi's back tried to arch but Timaeus kept his grip firm and the boy moaned loud instead, his fingers digging into the scratches from last night.

"Timaeus," Yugi squeaked out the name. His mind flooded with memories of the night before and even the pain faded into the distance. "Please…" he pulled himself up and sat in his lap, eyes pleading. "Please, go inside me again?"

Timaeus hissed and pulled his fingers away. "No," he said in a low, rough groan. Sadness filled Yugi's eyes and Timaeus immediately soothed him with kisses. "It is alright. You need to heal first, but you are young and you are strong. It won't take too long. You just need to rest, is all." He kissed Yugi's cheeks distractedly, then his nose. Yugi giggled at the ticklish treatment and Timaeus quite enjoyed that sweet wholesome smile.

"What happened to the big, scary Dragon who said he'd punish me if I uttered a complaint?"

Timaeus threw his head back with a loud laugh. "I'm afraid the dragon is back in his cage." He rubbed their noses together. "I'm just your husband now." He plopped his chin in his hands. Yugi oafed, pinned under his heavy weight.

"Timaeus?" he asked.

"Yes," the man asked teasingly.

"What does _gylkia-mou_ mean?"

Timaeus jumped up caught completely off guard by the question. "I'm sorry?"

"You called me that once on the boat when we were," Yugi blushed brightly. "Like this. And you called me that again last night. And some other things too."

"I did?" Timaeus faced paled then suffused with color at once. "What kind of things?" He asked nervously.

Yugi cocked his head, so rare was it that Timaeus blushed that it almost unsettled him. "Like _joon-am,_ or _jane-del-am,_ and I think _atashe-del-am gylkia-mou_?"

"Oh," His face darkened and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You…um…heard that?"

Yugi had never seen him so nervous. His lips curled into a smirk, his mischievous nature more curious. "What do they mean?" he asked crawling up to him, despite the sharp sting in his back.

Timaeus sensed the change, caught his hips and plopped the boy in his lap. "They are terms of endearment from my ancestral tongues." He explained, looking deep in Yugi's eyes. "Glykia-mou comes from my mother's people, meaning _my sweet,_ or _my sweetheart_ , like how I call you sweetling. A powerful term given the Spartans were not the most affectionate of people." Gently he lied the other back down on the bed and stared lovingly into his eyes. "The other three are come from my father's tongue." He stroked Yugi's cheek lovingly. " _joon-am,_ _jane-del-am,_ _atashe-del-am_ often used together mean my life, life of my soul, and fire of my heart."

Yugi's face suffused with color, his heart screaming.

Timaeus kissed his red face and pulled away. "Are you hungry, little one?"

Yugi leaned up slightly, only now aware of his empty stomach and its gurgling sounds. "Well, maybe a little." He blushed.

Unable to resist, Timaeus slid to his side and kissed his cheek. "You rest, here, I will bring us some breakfast."

He dressed quickly in a green, silken robe tied with a silver belt and Yugi couldn't help but admire the way it rippled and fell like water across his skin.

Yugi rose to follow him. "W-Wait, I'm coming—" He sat up quickly, and was silenced by the searing pain shooting up his back. His thighs gave out beneath him. Timaeus caught him quickly.

Vermillion splashed across Yugi's face and horror stole his voice.

"It's alright," Timaeus reassured and eased him back to the bed, but when he tried to stand, Yugi's arms found his neck and squeezed him tight. The touch almost searing, Timaeus returned the hug and gently rubbed Yugi's back. Gently, he lied his little lover down and pulled the furs around him tightly and kissed his forehead. "I will not be long."

"Good," Yugi said rolling onto his side, hissing, and with as much dignity as he could muster, gave his most leering smile. "Because I have no intention of waiting."

With a muttered oath, Timaeus spun and made it to the door, then stopped and flashed his own lecherous grin. "Careful, little imp. Or by the time I'm done with you, you'll never leave this room—or rather—that bed again."

Vermillion burst across Yugi's face and down his body, so Timaeus left him there, wide-eyed and stunned before he could ponder a comeback.

He slammed the door shut behind him and collapsed against it. All the breath his body expelled itself in a single, soul-stealing gasp and it was several moments before he could breathe again.

"What was that?" Timaeus asked himself, his trembling fingers brushing his forehead. His mind scrambled and tried to focus, but all his thoughts were of Yugi waiting patiently for him on the other side of the door.

X X X

The servants had cleared away the mess of the banquet all and it was alive with maids, servants and recovering soldiers. The witness to the consummation had all either gone to bed or gone home, and only the crew and the day's staff remained. The King had long since departed for the guest ward, but Hamos and Critias remained on the dais: Hamos listening and sharing a drink with his fellow comrades while Mai and her girls giggled, and Critias sitting alone in his chair already heavy in his cup.

More food had already been spread among the tables and the next group summoned to the hall to act as witnesses would soon arrive to drink, eat and toast. The celebration would last as the Redamancy, and the redamancy could last days.

Raphael sat at one table. Next to him Malik was half-passed out and hissing at every sound. Rhebekka shook her head and slid him a gurgling brew and commanded he drink it. He did so reluctantly, and downed it three large gulps and dry-heaved.

Tristan rolled his eyes, far more interested in watching Serenity exchange womanly jokes with Mai.

"So, what do you think of our new magistrate?" Raphael asked him matter-of-factly.

Tristan shrugged. "I wouldn't know I've only met him once."

"Aye," Ryou arose from nowhere, fresh-faced and without a hint he'd been plastered the night before. "But you must have some opinion."

Tristan thought for a moment than answered. "He seems like a sweet lad, and he makes our lord happy. I have no complaints."

From off in dais, Critias snorted.

"It's true." Tristan shrugged. "Take one look at his face and you see a man in love."

"Ha!" Critias snapped skeptically. "More like lust if you ask me."

The room rallied to argue, but were interrupted by the sound of humming and the skipping of steps. Curious eyes wondered, disbelievingly to its source. Timaeus skipped into the room, his face lit up in a bright cheerful smile and a spring in his step. Humming an unfamiliar tune horribly off key, they watched him snatch a tray from the table and load it with an assortment of Yugi's favorite fruits and cheeses, filled two goblets with hot water from the cauldron and sent one of the servants for a pomegranate blend. If he noticed the crowd staring at him he made no indication.

A smile slit Ryou's face and still a bit bold from the drink he asked. "Good morning my lord. Where is our Little Prince? You haven't bedded him lame, have you?"

Timaeus made no effort to counter the brawny joke and simply smirked. "He's resting, which reminds me." He turned to Mai with a grin that spoke more than a thousand lewd stories of conquest. "Have a bath prepared for us, will you. Tell the chambermaid to take their time and make sure the water's hot."

He ascended the steps without another word.

Mai erupted in a fit of giggles, grabbed Serenity's hands and gestured the rest of the maids to follow them.

"By Gods," Mokuba chuckled to his wife. "Have you ever seen him that happy?"

Rhebekka responded with a lewd giggle. "When's the last time you've seen _anyone_ that happy?"

"Not since the day I married you." He replied smartly before he was smacked for it and chased upstairs.

Laughter erupted through the Great Hall.

"Makes you wonder who got it better, our lord or the bride?"

Critias slammed down his drink, shoved out his seat. Even Hamos was chuckling.

"From on the look on his face I'd say, our lord." Ryou smirked, flushing.

Critias grabbed another cup from the table.

"I must say," Malik arose, half-drunk still and nudged his arm. "Our little prince might not have much experience, but that lad looks _well_ pleased."

Critias slammed down his cup, spun and punched him hard.

"Ye-ah!" Malik hissed, jumping back. " _What_ was that for?"

"Nothing" Critias hissed, stomping off. He finished off his wine only to find the cup empty.

* * *

Hmmm...well that was in no way suspicious or intentional (Long live the Queen (sips wine)

I'm very pleased with the beginning of this chapter-I really wanted to focus on how they would react based on their personalities and man was it fun! I love all those cute fluffy scenes! man i'm gonna have so much fun with this story from here on out! Not that i wasn't already but even more so!

Also i wanna add, i was GREATLY inspired by a new fanfic I discovered on Deviantart called the Purest Temple-it is wihout a doubt one of THE best if not best puzzleshipping comics i'ce ever read! the art is gorgeous-i fell like i'm watching the anime, everyone is in character especilly yugi, and heaven help me if the lemon scenes aren't the best i have EVER seen-they are so tastefully done and emotional, i get winded just reading them!

check it out here, or find her name on my Devinatart page accessible through my fanpage:

kuzai dot deviantart dot com/art/The-Purest-Temple-Title-Page-606261881 (remember to remove dots and spaces)

Historical note:

_Kuzbarah_ —also known as Coriander, a specific genes, acacias, is native to Africa as the coriander, native to Asia, was cultivated. It was one of the most commonly used herbs by the Ancient Egyptians and an essential oil made from its leaves and seeds when rubbed into the skin were known to relieve muscle aches, pains and stiffness and used to treat arthritis


	60. Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Redemancy continues with splendid success

_Chapter LX: Bond_

Yugi sank down into the sheets, unsure if he should be angered or delighted. He hissed again and tried shifting to a new position. Nothing worked. He rolled onto his belly and closed his eyes but sleep would not was suddenly grateful for the balms Rhebekka provided—and Timaeus for applying it. His bottom stung slightly and his back ached with every movement. His thighs were throbbing, the bones in his hips creaked, and his legs refused to work.

Frustratingly, he propped himself up against the pillows—his lower half punishing him for it—and unwove the silks from his legs. Carefully, his fingers traced the invisible lines Timaeus had made with his lips: the imprints of kisses necklaced his collar, nips littered his skin. Oh Ra, he wished Timaeus had not been so free with his teeth, and even less with his hands. Tracing the damage with his fingers, he followed the touches down to his sides, his hips, his calves, his thighs. He hissed and pulled them back. With a herculean effort, he forced his thighs apart. Oh, holy Bast and all her children, were those _bruises_? He blushed. His thighs were a mess of kisses and fingerprints. Marks, he realized, marks were only Timaeus' eyes would see.

He shivered with a giddy sort of pride. Or perhaps it was pleasure. Perhaps it was both. He shivered again when the silk sheets brushed his still sensitive skin. For the first time, he noticed his nakedness and blushed. His eyes fished for something to wear. He slipped from the bed and stood on wobbly legs, his back protesting, and carefully made his way to the wooden chest in the corner—another wedding gift, to hold the others. Silks, dressings and new clothes had all been part of his dowry.

He dropped to his knees. With a titanic effort, he forced the lid open and ran his fingers through the plethora of clothes and colors. A breeze swept through the window, biting his skin and Yugi shivered. His fingers brushed something soft and he grabbed it and quickly pulled it over his head. It was a wool shift: soft and warm and covered him to just below his thighs. With a contented sigh, Yugi crawled back into bed with a moan of pure relief. Soft feathers and silks absorbed his sore weight.

Then a smile tugged at his lips and he giggled.

They had made love. He and Timaeus.

Not just bedded, but truly made love. And it had been _wonderful._ Off came the shackles of restraint and gone were all their doubts and fears as they opened and bared themselves completely to the other. It had been terrifying and exhilarating, nerve-wracking and inspiring. Happy, freeing, confusing and invigorating all at once. Even more so when coupled with his confession, and he meant every word. He, Yugi, Habibi Ujalah, Prince of Kemet and youngest of all his siblings was in love with Timaeus. Fearsome, ferocious, notorious Timaeus in whose arms he'd come alive in.

Blushing and giggling, Yugi leaned back against the bed and listed his wrists, admiring the way the gold and silver bracelets sparkled in the morning sun: gold for the day he was married, silver for the day he was bedded, and all the struggles and compromises in between. Slowly, his eyes started to droop, triggering what felt like a lifetime of memories.

How long had it been since they married, since they met? A month, maybe two, at best a season? Was that really all it had been? Yugi had lost count of the days. He no longer cared to do so. He was a man wedded and bedded: nothing else mattered. Nothing, but the man his heart yearned for and who he was waiting ever so patiently to return.

A smile laced across his lips and curled Yugi's cheeks. "I really do love that man."

He slid down into the sheets and rolled onto his side. Tugging the sheets and furs about his shoulders, he closed his eyes and let the warmth consume him.

His skin was still tingling from Timaeus' kisses.

X

Timaeus found Yugi curled up beneath the furs and smiled.

Setting the plate down, he slid across the bed and admired his beautiful bride's sleeping face: his sweet smile, his serene eyes, the way his nose twitched and his delicate bangs feathered his cheeks. He brushed a hand through the soft tresses and placed a lock behind Yugi's ears. The touch was soft, ghost-like, but Yugi felt it and his eyes opened slowly.

He blinked slowly and met his eyes with a sleepy smile. Saying nothing, Timaeus pulled the sheets away. To his disappointment, Yugi was wearing a shift. The dark wool hid the beautiful softness of his curves and teased him with flashes of his naked thighs. Undoing his belt, he slipped off his robes and slide Yugi's body between his: their eyes never leaving the others'.

He kissed him then and Yugi responded. His arms found Timaeus neck and held him tight. Moaning as those strong hands ran up and down the curves of his body and finally settled around the small of his back. His knees quaked and his thighs parted slightly, urging the elder between them, the flesh still tender. Timaeus responded and shifted his body upwards brushing their hips together. His reward was the most delectable sounds he'd ever heard Yugi make: a fusion of mewls, moans and delighted sighs that spoke only of rapture.

"Timaeus," Yugi said sometime later. His voice heavy and all breath.

"Hmm?" the man asked, brushing his chin and cheek against Yugi's soft hair.

"Please," he begged, hands reaching out desperately. "I want you inside me."

He hesitated. The Dragon inside tamed by the other's touch. He took the boy's hand in his and kissed his knuckles. "You need to rest, love," he said sadly and with no small amount of disappointment. "I don't want to hurt you."

Yugi bristled with displeasure and pushed himself up. Crawling into the man's lap, he wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him hard. He tasted the other's desire, as well as his restrain. Oh, why did he have to worry so much? Didn't he know the pain was such a minuscule thing compared to the rapture he invoked in him?

"I want you to," he whispered in his ear and kissed him again. To his pleasure Timaeus responded, his strong hands grabbing Yugi's hips and pulling him closer.

"Please," he said in a last seductive whisper.

With a sigh, the man relented. He reached for the balm Rhebekka had so generously gifted and spread it over his fingers. "I'll be gentle," he promised in a husky whisper.

Yugi nodded and pressed his forehead to the man's shoulder. His back arched slightly as those fingers probed his entrance. A moan he couldn't suppress escaped him. Timaeus slipped his finger inside and twisted, digging deeper and willing the younger to relax. Yugi's knees quaked beneath him, his thighs quivered in Timaeus' hands. Another finger found its way inside and his spine arched back then forward like a serpents.

"You enjoyed that, did you not?" Timaeus teased. Yugi nodded, his hair rubbing against Timaeus cheek, and his hands tightening their hold. A lifetime later Timaeus pulled away and they dropped back to the bed. Kissing and touching until a sharp pain raced up his back and Yugi yelped with a hiss.

Timaeus stopped at once. He pulled away then chuckled. "Seems you need more time to recover." There was an unsurprising glint in his eye.

Yugi pouted disappointment heavy in his stomach.

Timaeus kissed his cheek and turned the boy to face him. "It's alright," he said. Each word holding a husky edge. "Just because we cannot make love does not mean I cannot do other things to please you."

He laid the boy gently across the bed and pushed up his shift not bothering to remove it. Kisses suddenly littered his chest. Fingers rose to tease his sides. Yugi giggled and moaned as the kisses dipped lower—the warm mouth moving to engulf his breast. A hand rose to tease the other.

"After all," he could hear the gentle reassurance in the words as well as the wicked promise "We have _days_ for our Redamancy." He concluded the promise with one slow precise lash of his tongue.

Yugi all but jumped out of his skin at that. Timaeus had done some truly amazing things to his body last night, but none had lit so sudden and shocking a fire inside him as that one lick just had. Hands rising instinctively, he braced them on Timaeus' shoulders subconsciously pulling him closer as that warm, wonderful mouth continued to devour his chest. His finger slid down the valley between Yugi's breasts and his kisses dipped lower.

Groaning, Yugi clutched at his shoulders. Every breath was a hum of pleasure. When his hands moved and lifted his hips, Yugi went willingly leaning into his touch and mouth. Hands slide to the junction between his thighs, stroking tenderly then sneaking behind to cup his bottom and kneading the flesh there.

Yugi gasped his next moan. His arms straightened and his nails sank into the bronzed flesh. The heat of him burned across Yugi's skin and stroked the embers of desire to life within him. His response was a shuddering moan: thighs quivering and eager. Kisses dipped between them.

Yugi shrieked with delight. Obediently, his thighs spread wider and his fingers grabbed fistfuls of silver-black hair. Growling in response, Timaeus squeezed the flesh of his bottom tighter. One arm wrapped about his waist and hoisted Yugi up, spreading him flush across the bed sheets and under the mercy of his gaze.

Flushed and panting, Yugi shivered under the blazing heat of his stare. His eyes burning with something more than just admiration.

"Beautiful," he said in a low, breathless rasp. The word was a whisper on his lips. A wisp that brushed across Yugi's skin and set his body shivering. Then Timaeus moved backward like a retreating predator. His gaze flowing to the valley between his knees.

With a blush of understanding and bashfulness, Yugi tried to close his legs, but Timaeus grabbed his knees and slid between them. His gaze locked with Yugi's and the boy found himself paralyzed under the intensity burning in those eyes. His whole body flushed, hot, vermilion, and wanton.

"So beautiful," Timaeus cupped his cheeks and kissed him fully.

Yugi sank into his arms returning the kiss. Pulling the other back with him, they fell to the bed: his hard, bronzed body flushed against his soft, tender flesh. The heat of his warm flesh burning even through the thick shift. Evidence of his desire pressed hotly against his own and instinctively, Yugi's hips moved against him.

Timaeus broke the kiss but instead of retreating, he slid back on his haunches and kissed his way down Yugi's belly. Kissed his way down his thighs. Kissed his way to the one place Yugi longed to be touched the most. Experienced hands slid over Yugi's hips and held them in place. A liquid touch between his thighs made Yugi jerk. The damp heat of Timaeus' tongue lathed his skin and then—

A cry chocked Yugi's throat.

Yugi felt his tongue slip _inside_ him. Again, he cried out. He felt it: slick and wet and hot and—

"Oh Gods!"

And then with a single, precise lick as his only warning, Timaeus devoured him.

Yugi's thighs clenched around his shoulders, but Timaeus held them firm. Desperate for some support, Yugi grabbed fistfuls of his hair and pulled. Surged by the action, Timaeus lashed his tongue faster, sucked his soft, wet flesh harder. Yugi arched his back with a shudder of impossible delight. Heat flooded through his entire body robbing him of thought and voice and stability.

His entire body shuddering under the weight of such intense pleasure, he gave himself up to it and let Timaeus' glorious mouth work him to his completion. Bolts of pleasure flooded from his groin, warm heat settled and coiled tight in his belly and finally—

"TIMAEUS!"

With that final shriek, Yugi slumped boneless to the bed.

A moment later, he heard a harsh, heavy groin and slowly opened his eyes. Timaeus stood over him the other's figure distorted in the haze of passion and pleasure. His skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat and his eyes were wild and blazing, a mad, shimmering emerald and a cool, calm pearl.

He leaned forward and placed a sweet, sweaty kiss to Yugi's brow. "Sleep, love," he commanded gently, collapsing at his lover's side.

For once in their marriage, Yugi obeyed without argument.

Shifting sleepily, atop his husband, Yugi yawned and raised his head to peer at the window. He was not sure how long he'd slept—lying against his husband in shameless splendor—but the drawn back curtains reflected the darkening purple and scarlet lights of twilight.

If Yugi had not been grateful for the reprieve from sex before, he was now. He shifted to his knees and bent his back, arching not unlike a cat. He found his limbs looser, his back not so tight and the pain in his lower half that had immobilized him before had withered to a dull ache. Stretching his arms and back with a loud yawn, he all but shrieked when the ground rumbled beneath him.

Timaeus caught him as he fell, his chest vibrating as he chuckled. "Just awake and already trying to seduce me, you little tease?"

Yugi snorted and playfully punched his chest. Before he could protest, his stomach roared with hunger. Yugi blushed. When had he eaten last, he wondered? Breakfast on the ship? Dinner the night before? He blushed deeper. How long had they been here—shut away in the privacy of their own personal sanctuary away from time and prying eyes?

Chuckling again, Timaeus grabbed the abandoned tray and set it on the bed between them. "Are you hungry?" he whispered.

Yugi pulled himself up from the sheets, smiling. "Famished."

They divided the meal between them, Yugi devouring everything while Timaeus enjoyed bits and pieces. He poured Yugi a cup of hot tea and spiced it with herbs from Rhebekka's box known to relieve pain, and was insistent Yugi drink it all before his soreness returned. By the end of it, Yugi found himself sitting in Timaeus' lap, and leaning against his broad, warm chest.

"Timaeus…" he asked his face red with a blush.

"Yes?" Timaeus asked, running his hand through Yugi's bangs and twirling the locks about his fingers.

Yugi's blush darkened. "Will it…always be like that?"

Bemused, Timaeus looked curious then nodded with a crooked little grin. "Like what, _glykia mou_?"

Yugi fingers flexed, his cheeks darkened and his ears flushed pink. "Like…" he struggled for the exact word and the cataclysm it wrought inside him. "Like being washed by a tidal wave when the Nile floods or shooting stars or racing Ra's chariot and just so…wonderful?"

Timaeus face split in a wide, bright-eyed grin, and drew him up in a gentle embrace, silks, furs and all. "Not everyone experiences it the way you did. Some scarcely notice it at all."

Yugi looked stunned. How could you _not_ notice that? "Well, I didn't expect to…" he blushed deeper. "You know."

Timaeus nodded a dash of red coming to his own face. "What…did your sisters tell you?"

Yugi blushed, nodding. "Well, Mut told me that…things like that…don't always happen the first time, but..." His face burned so red he could feel the heat coming from it. "It can if the man is a good lover…so was that you then?"

Timaeus beamed with pride and chuckled. "Sometimes," he said modestly, "But I doubt so." Something glinted in his eyes, something secret and all-telling.

Yugi's eyes widened. "Then…me…was it me? Did I do that?"

Timaeus' answer was sweet kiss. "You're lucky," he whispered. "Not many find that kind of experience their first time."

Yugi's hand found his and their fingers laced. "Perhaps it was both of us then."

"Perhaps." Timaeus chuckled, cupping Yugi's cheek. "I confess I have never felt such rapture before."

Yugi blushed then frowned. He knew it was an unfair question to ask, but ask it he must. "Not even with… _her_."

Timaeus did not need to ask whom he met. He did not know what to say so he told the truth. "No, little sprite. Not even with her."

It was more than enough and Yugi let himself fall into the man's arms. Timaeus scooped him up and swept him up in a deep, sweet kiss. Yugi leaned up to catch his lips, molding his flesh against the other's and rubbing their naked lower halves together. The friction sent a shiver of pleasure through them both. As intended, Timaeus groaned into the kiss. His hands clasped around Yugi's thin waist and hoisted the boy up, depending the kiss and spreading Yugi's thighs wide across his lap.

A moan of delight was his reward as long fingers trailed up Yugi's knee to his calve, the back of his thighs. "Ohh— _ooh_ " came the scandalous and all too willing voice.

It was Timaeus turn to smirk.

"Does that please you?" his whispered huskily. Yugi looked at him with dazed eyes and nodded mutely. Pleased, Timaeus dipped his fingers once more into the _Kuzbarah_ concoction then slipped them inside his squirming little lover. He tasted the other's lips, swallowing each moan and feeling every shudder as his fingers pushed and probed and prodded deeper. The other hand hiked that damn shifted up Yugi's hips.

Despite the torrent of touches and emotions, he was gentle as he lied his lover down and pulled back his hands.

"Timaeus…" Yugi cocked his head cutely, eyes dropping with desire and his voice confused and almost childlike in its displeasure.

Kissing his lips in sweet chastity, Timaeus pinned Yugi's hands to the bed and dragged his burning body against the soft, perfect flesh. "Are you ready?" he asked, his eyes half dazed.

Yugi's response was a dreamy-eyed nod. Timaeus brushed back his bangs and kissed his forehead sweetly.

"I'll be gentle," came the final promise and, slowly, he sank into Yugi's body.

Yugi squeaked at once then bit his lip as his body yielded with a twinge of pain. He wasn't used to this. Yes, the balm and preparation had helped immensely, but still his body protested being filled. But why? It was Timaeus inside him! Oh why, did his weak flesh have to protest what his heart and soul so desperately wanted?

Timaeus kissed him still. Once again, Yugi's hands found his shoulders and held tight. Slowly, his body relaxed, even as his husband pushed deeper until he was fully sheathed. Yugi pulled away to moan: his insides constricted just so but the warm flesh inside him burned away all his doubts and discomforts and once again he felt truly whole and complete.

Timaeus smiled down at him, pleased with the result and arched his hips just slightly. Yugi moaned in response. With a pleased smirk, Timaeus withdrew his hips, slowly then, ever so slowly he filled him again. Yugi's moans grew louder.

Though the pace never increased in speed or force, it was, if anything, even more intense than anything they had done the night before. From this position, Yugi could feel every movement, every drag of hot flesh against his insides, every push and pulse of that thick heat inside him, every twitch and arch of the man above him. It was an intensity almost too great to comprehend. Every thrust earned a moan from him, every push sent his hands raking down the man's back, every withdraw had him shuddering only to come back with twice as much pleasure. Yugi's moans morphed into a delighted shriek. His tender thighs clenched and bliss white and hot burst behind his eyes.

"T-TIM," it was the only waning he could muster before his pleasure overcame him. He slunk into the man's arms, nails sinking into his shoulders.

The pain and pleasure awoke the Dragon and when Timaeus reached the moment of his own pleasure, it was with a cry of Yugi's name. He shuddered as he came, then stilled for a moment his eyes transfixed with those of the boy beneath him. Then, with great reluctance, he slid himself free and slumped on top of him.

A disgruntle hiss escaped his lips. Yugi came alert in that moment and then he saw them: fresh, red and angry.

"Ah, Tim" he shrieked, mortified with worry. "Your back."

Bemused, Timaeus checked over his shoulders and studied his back. The flesh was red and tender with marks: deep red slashes that hissed from the aftermath of their passion. He stroked his shoulder tenderly and was unable to hold back a loud hiss. The sting, sharp.

Yugi's face drained of color and his eyes flooded with guilt. "Oh Ra! I'm sorry! I—" Guilty tears pricked his eyes and the boy deflated.

Timaeus would have none of it and pulled him up into a kiss.

"I am alright, sweetling," he assured with a smile. "They do not bother me much, see," he fished around in the wooden box Rhebekka has given then and found the clear glass jar filled with leaves shaped like tiny tentacles. Timaeus smirked, popped it open and pulled one out showing it to Yugi. "We use it to treat wounds here." He said squeezing the plant. A cool, clear gelatin dampened his fingers and he spread a generous amount over his back. Wanting to help, Yugi grabbed another one and did the spots he could not reach, flinching every time Timaeus hissed.

He chuckled. "Seems our dear physician friend truly did think of everything."

Yugi blushed, red as a cherry. "I'm sorry." He said again.

"None of that," Timaeus chided, gently. He cupped Yugi's cheek and kissed it. "I told you I don't mind. And besides," his eyes smile laced with a leer like a hungry fox who just spied a leveret. "When one beds a vixen, one must expect her claws."

Yugi blushed and he buried his face in the sheets and furs. Timaeus' pearls of laughter echoed brightly in his ears. A strong hand spun him to his side and captured his lips in a bruising kiss. Seduced at once, Yugi moved to return it—and was devastatingly disappointed when the man pulled away.

The slightest trace of a smirk pulled at his lips and his eyes held a devilish glint. "But if you are truly that repentant," he teased. "I am sure I can think of a way you can make it up to me."

Yugi gasped, once again feeling the hot flesh of his hardness pressing against him, slipping inside him. With a shriek, he felt the other come alive inside him, already starting to move, and Yugi eagerly arched into every thrust.

"And you called _me_ insatiable," Yugi teased, the sound something akin to a shriek and a moan.

"Aye," Timaeus said, pining the other down and arching his hips in a way that had Yugi screaming. "And _you,_ my sweetling, have made a wanton out of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so glad I decided to rewrite these next few chapters! I think it makes them more realistic and practical and also I REALLY love writing all these sweet romantic scenes between them before the drama escalates ten-fold (and you all know it will-Queen sips her wine-or rather hybiscus tea now-and strokes the Kuri siblings giggling in her lap)
> 
> SO ...IMPORTANT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT SEEN MY PROFILE PAGE-I have decided to EARNESTLY take part in NaNoWriMo this month and get the rough draft of my original novel that has been in progress since I was in high school (so almost ten years-holy shit time does fly) as well as do a creative challenge of writing one poem a day each in a different format. So, as such I will be on FanFiction about 85% less...THIS DOES NOT MEAN STORIES WON'T BE UPDATED! Both This Fic and at the Kings pleasure I plan to use this week to edit and get as many chapters prewritten and finished as I can so I can focus entirely on my original work without stressing out about updates. So Updates will continue to be bi-weekly as edits allow.
> 
> NEXT TIME: Timaeus has a few more surprises for Yugi as their redamency continues


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